Lovestruck
by GreenPokeGuy
Summary: Adrien Agreste likes Ladybug, and Ladybug likes Adrien. Here are some moments where they come together. A one-shot collection for Ladrien June!
1. Love Poem

**Hello! I'm fairly new to this fandom, watching the first episode about a month ago, but I still want to contribute to it! I'm doing Ladrien June, so I hope you enjoy my take on the prompts!**

* * *

 **Love Poem**

Adrien walked into his room after another long photo shoot, feeling exhausted. His kwami, Plagg flew out of his pocket and landed on Adrien's bed, while the model headed over to his desk, planning to take a look at the Ladyblog. He looked every few days to see what updates Alya had made in relation to Ladybug, and he enjoyed seeing her so excited about Paris' favourite superhero.

His heart warmed as he let himself get lost in thoughts of Ladybug. As Cat Noir, he got to spend lots of time with her, whether it be fighting a new akuma or going on patrols, but he wished for something more than that. He knew that he didn't stand a chance, because Ladybug never returned his affections as Cat Noir, but it didn't stop him from trying, or at the very least thinking about it. What he found on Valentine's Day didn't help matters, either…

"Adrien! Where's the cheese you promised me?" Plagg snapped Adrien out of his thoughts, and Adrien was surprised that Plagg was in his face all of a sudden. Registering his kwami's request, Adrien rolled his eyes.

"Give me a second, I've got some in my bag for you to chow down on," Adrien said, picking up his bad that he'd dumped next to him and retrieving a container with camembert wedges inside. He opened the container and placed it next to him, wincing at the smell. "There you go, that should keep you happy." Looking up from his computer screen, the heart-shaped card he had pinned caught his attention, and he took it down to read the message inside, letting out a long sigh of happiness, which earned him a groan from Plagg, which he chose to ignore.

"I still can't believe that Ladybug found and replied to my poem, and she returns my feelings!" Adrien exclaimed, a silly grin on his face as he held the card to his chest.

"You humans and your strange rituals… The card isn't even signed, kid. What if it's not from Ladybug?" Plagg asked in a nonchalant tone, or as nonchalant as he could be when talking around a piece of cheese. Adrien glared at his kwami.

"You're so disgusting, Plagg!" Adrien told him. "And who else could it be? Ladybug's the only one that matches the description in my poem, and anyone else would know it's not them."

"Maybe whoever found the poem and replied to it was desperate enough to pretend? After all, you did throw that poem in the trash. Who knows what desperate person would dig through the trash just because you threw away something?" Plagg reasoned, and Adrien couldn't deny the kwami's point, if it wasn't for one other factor.

"But the ladybug that landed on the card has got to be a sign! I'm sure that Ladybug's the one that found that poem," However, what Plagg said did make Adrien wonder. "But I did throw that card away in my classroom… Does that mean that Ladybug's in my class?!" Adrien smiled at the thought. Imagine being so close to his crush this whole time and neither of them having a clue that the other person was their crime-fighting partner!

"Well, if they are, then doesn't that really only leave one girl to be Ladybug?" Plagg said, and Adrien thought of all the girls in his class. Not Alya, she always tried to show up to akuma attacks to catch Ladybug in action for her Ladyblog. Not Chloe, even though she cosplayed as Ladybug, she was nothing like the real deal. Adrien was admittedly relieved to rule her out. Not Alix, Sabrina, Mylene, Rose or Juleka… That left one girl, and she did seem to fit the description.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

But, if he thought about it, other than the physical similarities, she didn't seem to be anything like Ladybug. Where Ladybug was strong and confident, Marinette was timid, though she did have her moments, especially when she was standing up to Chloe. There's also the fact that Marinette can't even seem to speak to him because she's intimidated by him, or at least that's what it seems like to him. He's tried so many times to start up a conversation, but she always stutters through them. Could she really be Ladybug? He sighed and pinned the card back up. He was too tired to be putting so much thought into something like this right now.

"Even if Marinette is Ladybug, she hasn't given any indication that she might like me before…" Adrien thought aloud, and he didn't notice his kwami roll his eyes. Adrien decided to relax a bit before he thought more about it, so he turned back to his computer and went onto the Ladyblog to check for anything new.

* * *

"Marinette! You're going to be late for school!" Marinette groaned as she heard her mother's voice call for her, and she picked up her phone to check the time. Her eyes widened when she saw she had ten minutes and she scrambled out of bed, frantically getting dressed. Once she was ready, she grabbed her bag and her purse, letting Tikki fly in before closing it and racing downstairs.

"Bye Mama! Bye Papa!" Marinette said quickly, kissing her parents on the cheek, grabbing a croissant and racing out the bakery door. She ate the croissant while she ran to school, and was grateful that she lived right around the corner, because the bell rang just as she burst into her classroom, earning herself an amused look from her teacher and Alya telling her that she needs to get a better alarm when she sat down next to her. As Miss Bustier started the lesson, Marinette got out her things, glancing at the golden-haired head of her crush Adrien and sighing dreamily. It was looking to be a normal day.

It turned out that her initial thought was wrong, because when the bell rang for lunch, Marinette was prepared to head out with Alya when Adrien came up to her, causing her to freeze in place. Alya snickered at her friend's behaviour.

"Hey Marinette, I was wondering if I could talk to you about something?" Adrien asked, looking nervous. Marinette was convinced that she was seeing things, but no, Adrien did actually look nervous, a frown tugging at his lips and eyebrows creased.

"Y-Yeah, okay. Up what's- uh, I mean, what's up?" Marinette stammered, cursing herself for messing up already. She was worried that Adrien would decide to leave, but he patiently let her speak with a small smile on his face.

"Maybe we could talk at the park?" Adrien suggested, and Alya took the cue to leave.

"I'll go hang out with Nino, girl. See you back in class!" Before Marinette could say anything, Alya was already leaving, meaning that she had no support while talking to Adrien. She blushed slightly at the thought of being alone with Adrien, even if it was just to talk.

"Good i-idea, let's go?" Marinette suggested, and Adrien nodded, leading the way out of the class room. She resisted the urge to squeal, she was walking with Adrien Agreste to talk! Maybe they'd have such a good conversation that she'd muster up the courage to ask him out, and he would say yes, and then they would get married, and- She cut herself off, scared that Adrien would somehow be able to read her mind, and instead decided to focus on getting to the park in one piece.

They sat down on one of the benches and were silent for a couple of seconds. Adrien looked like he didn't know what to say, so Marinette took it upon herself to start the conversation.

"S-So, what did talk you want- uh, what did you want talk about?" Marinette asked, choosing to get straight to the point. Adrien looked up at her, a serious look on his face, and Marinette's cheeks flushed, feeling like his eyes were boring into hers.

"Marinette…" Adrien started, and Marinette gulped. That stare made her feel like he knew all of her secrets, even the one that she held most dear. It wasn't until Adrien cleared his throat that Marinette realised she'd been too caught up in her paranoia caused by his bright green eyes that she'd missed what he said.

"I'm so sorry, can you repeat that? I-I zoned out…" Marinette turned red, embarrassed that she was making him repeat himself because of her lack of attention. Great job, Marinette. Adrien chuckled, and Marinette forced a smile.

"That's okay," Adrien said, and his smile dropped as he adopted the serious look again. Marinette decided to stare at his mouth so that she wouldn't be distracted by his eyes. Oh, but what a nice mouth it was! And then it opened, ready to ask the question that could possibly change everything.

"By any chance, did you sent out a Valentine's Day card?"

Marinette blinked, looking up at his eyes. That wasn't what she expected him to say. And then she blushed as the words sunk in. She did sent a card - to him! Maybe she could get away with not revealing that. After all, if she did sign it, why would he ask now? Valentine's Day was a while ago.

"Yeah, I-I did. How about you?" Marinette replied. Better to keep her responses simple and try to deflect to him. Her stuttering was bad enough already, but if she spoke in full sentences, she was sure it'd give her away.

"No, I didn't, but I did throw away a poem, and I received a reply to it. Do you know anything about that?" Adrien asked curiously, and Marinette swallowed. He was talking about her card! If he remembered it now, then maybe it was important to him! The thought made her giddy.

"I do!" Marinette exclaimed, and as soon as it was out of her mouth, she regretted it. Her face heated up and her eyes widened, and Adrien's eyes did the same.

"You do? By any chance, were you the one who wrote it?" Adrien asked, and Marinette felt her heart stop. The way that question was phrased, it sounded like he'd known from the beginning. Her shoulders slumped. There was no use pretending now.

"I-I did. Sorry if that gets your hopes up or s-something." Marinette admitted, and she watched Adrien closely, waiting for a reaction that would indicate if he was disappointed. Surprisingly, it didn't happen. Instead, it almost looked like his smile got bigger.

"No, things actually make sense if you're the one that wrote it!" Adrien said, the smile still on his face.

"Huh?" Marinette replied, confused. He seemed to be miles ahead of her on this train of thought.

"Well, first of all, I threw it away in our classroom, so it makes sense for it to be someone in our class that found it," Adrien started, and Marinette paled. She couldn't believe this was happening! All because she'd dug through the trash for Adrien's poem. He'd definitely think she was a creepy stalker and never speak to her again. "Second, you're the only girl that matches my description in our class. But there's just one thing missing, and that's where things get a little confusing."

"They do?" Marinette queried. He's figured it out; what could be missing?

"You didn't sign the card, of course! Why didn't you sign the card?" Adrien smirked as a thought entered his mind. Marinette almost swooned at the sight of it. "Don't tell me you were too nervous to admit it."

"W-Well…" Marinette tried, but she couldn't think of a good reason. All she really had was that she forgot, and who would believe that?

"But it doesn't matter now, because I know it's you now! And that's great!" Adrien put a hand on her shoulder, and Marinette froze. Like she wasn't dying enough already, now he was touching her? Marinette could have melted into a puddle at the warmth that spread through her body. Of course, she couldn't let him see that, so she had to pretend that she was fine.

"It is?" Marinette asked, playing clueless. Adrien nodded eagerly.

"Yeah! Because even though you didn't sign the card, I was sent a sign that uncovered something even bigger!" Adrien answered excitedly, and Marinette's heart almost stopped again. There's only one thing that she could think of that was bigger than her crush on Adrien.

"W-What's that?" Marinette asked, even if she wasn't completely sure that she wanted to hear it.

"I know you're probably worried that I'd know something like this, but your secret's safe with me." Adrien winked, and although she had dreamed of Adrien winking at her, Marinette felt herself dreading his next words. This was definitely not the way she wanted anyone to find out about her secret identity, even if it was Adrien!

"Please just say it already." Marinette sighed, and she was about to start thinking up excuses for not telling him when his next sentence made her mind go blank.

"I know that you're a good friend of Ladybug's."

Marinette blinked. What? She didn't understand. She could only stare at him blankly. He frowned at her.

"Uh, I'm sorry if I shocked you or anything. The main factor to finding out was the ladybug that landed on the card when I read it." Adrien said, looking concerned. But that was unacknowledged by Marinette. Instead, Marinette felt an overwhelming sense of relief. She was that close to being found out, and then to find out that he'd come to a completely different conclusion! It reminded her of Alya and her thinking that Chloe was Ladybug one time. Despite the fact that it meant that Adrien wouldn't know her true feelings still, Marinette decided that it was more important to keep being Ladybug a secret from him than to jeopardise his safety by correcting him and revealing herself.

"O-oh! Yeah, when I showed Ladybug your poem, she was over the moon! But she had no idea how to respond to you, so I helped her out," Marinette went along with Adrien's conclusion. She almost wanted to giggle. Now she knew that Adrien had a crush on Ladybug, who was her! There was still the problem of him not knowing that she was Ladybug, but she was okay with that for now. "And even funnier, when she was about to sign the card, a ladybug landed on it, and we were so excited about the good luck that we completely forgot! I'm sure she'll be ecstatic to hear that you know it's from her."

"You saw a ladybug, too?" Adrien's eyes widened at the coincidence, and Marinette could swear his eyes were sparkling. "That means that it's meant to be! Thank you so much, Marinette!" Adrien promptly pulled Marinette into a hug, and Marinette was so stunned that all she could do was sit there, her face becoming as red as a tomato. Adrien pulled away and grinned at her. "This is so great! Oh, but I won't tell anyone that you're Ladybug's friend if you don't want me to. See you in class, Marinette!" Adrien ran off toward the school then, and Marinette watched him go with a smile on her face that turned into giggles when she was sure he wouldn't hear.

"Adrien likes me…" Marinette said quietly, and Tikki popped out of her purse and nuzzled her cheek.

"I'm so happy for you, Marinette! Now that you know that he likes Ladybug, and he thinks that you're her friend, you can talk about her with him and get closer to him!" Tikki said, and Marinette squealed happily.

"This is the best day ever!" Marinette exclaimed. She checked the time and saw that there were only a few more minutes before lunch ended. "Come on, Tikki, let's get something to eat from the bakery before class!" Tikki flew back into Marinette's purse and then she was off to the bakery.

That day, both Marinette and Adrien had the biggest smiles on their faces.

* * *

 **This is probably more Adrienette than Ladrien, but oh well. There's plenty more Ladrien moments to explore! If you liked this, leave a comment in the review box, or follow along if you want! :)**

 **-Green**


	2. Awkwardness

**Hello! Back again with the next chapter! I knew this prompt would be a lot of fun, so I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Awkwardness**

It was possibly the worst idea Marinette had ever had. It was a Saturday afternoon, and Adrien had a photo shoot in the park by the school. However, she had no one to go and spy on him with so that it would look like she was conveniently around. Alya had to look after her siblings, she wasn't babysitting Manon, and she couldn't just tell her parents that she was going out without a good reason unless she wanted them to get suspicious, especially since she'd told them she had no plans. So what was her solution?

To spy as Ladybug, of course.

She really should have thought this through.

As soon as she got to the park, she found somewhere to hide, but of course, there is no rest for a superhero.

"Ladybug?" Someone shouted, and naturally that attracted everyone in the general vicinity's attention. Including Adrien. Since it was useless to hide now, Ladybug came out of hiding, putting on a smile for the people of Paris.

"What are you doing here, Ladybug?" Someone asked.

"Is there an akuma on the loose?"

Where's Cat Noir?"

The questions came too quickly, and Ladybug found it hard to keep up with them all.

"I, uh, was just in the area! There's no akuma, so there's no need to panic, and Cat Noir isn't here because I'm just doing a solo patrol." Ladybug answered the questions she remembered, groaning internally. Of course she was going to be noticed during the day. This is why she and Cat Noir normally did their patrols during the night. As Ladybug continued trying to answer everyone's questions, a sole person made their way through the crowd and grabbed her attention.

"Excuse me, Ladybug, but are you busy?" The man asked, and Ladybug couldn't instantly place who he was, though she knew he was familiar.

"I'm on patrol, as I said, but I could probably spare some time." Ladybug smiled, assuming that he would want an autograph or something of that nature.

"Excellent! Would I be able to borrow you for half an hour? I feel that you would be the perfect match for Mr. Agreste! Your photos will be all over Paris!" He asked, and Ladybug froze. The photographer! He was the photographer that was taking the photos for Adrien's shoot.

Wait, did he just ask her to model for him? With Adrien?!

"W-What? But I-"

"Don't be shy! You two will look wonderful!" The photographer grabbed her arm, pulling her away from the crowd and over to the set, where Adrien was waiting. When he saw her coming over, he waved shyly at her. Her face heated up, and she could feel a blush coming.

"Hello again." Adrien greeted her, and Ladybug almost swooned. No, she was Ladybug, not Marinette! She couldn't afford to behave like this now!

"Hello! It looks like we'll be partnering up for this photo shoot." Ladybug told him, and Adrien's cheeks flushed with colour. She found it adorable.

"Really? Oh, that's great." Adrien replied, and the two fell into an awkward silence, neither one knowing what to say. The makeup crew prepared them for the shoot, and then it got under way.

"Okay, you two, here's what I want you to do!" The photographer grabbed their attention. "I want it to look like you," he pointed at Ladybug. "Are taking him to safety with your yo-yo!"

"Okay…" Ladybug replied, and she and Adrien looked at each other, wondering how they were going to make it work. The position they decided on was very awkward for both of them. Ladybug had one arm stretched out above her, and the other arm around Adrien's waist, and he was hanging onto her shoulders.

"Perfect! Hold that pose!" The photographer exclaimed, and he snapped some shots while Ladybug and Adrien tried not to move, and also tried not to give any sign that they were rather enjoying the close contact. "Now, I want you two to look like you are slow dancing!"

They dropped their current position, and scrambled to get into the next. Adrien had his hands on Ladybug's waist, while she had hers on his shoulders, and both were actively avoiding each other's eyes, blushes on their cheeks.

"No, you must look at each other, or the scene is no good!" The photographer demanded, and blue eyes met green as they make eye contact. While the photographer took the shots, Ladybug couldn't help but admire Adrien's eyes. They were such a bright green, and they reminded her of someone else's eyes, too.

"Good work! These photos will be wonderful, I can tell!" The photographer praised, and the two pulled away when he was done, laughing awkwardly. "One last pose, and then you are free to go, Ladybug!" Ladybug forced her eyes to look away from Adrien to the photographer to show that she was listening. "I want you two to look like you are best friends, laughing and having fun together!" Ladybug looked at Adrien with a blank gaze, and his was the same. How were they supposed to pretend to be best friends? They could barely look at each other!

"Any ideas?" Ladybug asked, and Adrien shrugged.

"Maybe if we talk a bit, something will happen?" Adrien suggested.

"Sure, that could work," Ladybug replied, hoping it would work. If she was Marinette, she would never be able to do this. Ladybug was grateful for the mask to give her confidence. "So, Adrien, how are you today?" Adrien raised an eyebrow at the question, and Ladybug resisted face palming. Of all the questions that she could have asked, that's what she came up with?

"I'm good, but I'm not looking forward to doing my Chemistry homework after this." Adrien replied, and Ladybug remembered the assignment that had been set. They had to write an evaluation on the experiments that they'd done yesterday in class.

"Really? What's so bad about it?" Ladybug asked, pretending that she didn't know about it. Adrien didn't need to know that she was in his class and had the same work to do.

"I prefer mixing the chemicals to writing out reports about them," Adrien replied, and Ladybug couldn't help but agree. "Based on the _reactions_ of everyone in class, I'm _positive_ I'm not the only one." Ladybug couldn't help but snicker, and Adrien raised an eyebrow, a smirk on his face. "What? Did I say something funny?"

"Did you seriously just make chemistry puns at me? I expected better from you." Ladybug replied, chuckling. She'd never seen this side of Adrien before, and it was quite surprising.

"Is that right? Looks like you need to change your _hypothesis_ on me, then." Adrien remarked, laughing. Ladybug couldn't help but laugh as well, Adrien's laughter reminding her of the first time she heard him laugh, and it was as contagious as it was back then.

"Perfect! These will be such good photos!" A voice interrupted them, and they turned to look at the photographer, almost forgetting that they were in the middle of a photo shoot, and they were brought back to the current situation, their laughter dying down into silence. "Thank you for your time, Ladybug! You should see these photos next week!"

"I look forward to them," Ladybug flashed a smile. "But for now, it's time for this bug to continue her patrol. Bug out!" Ladybug grabbed her yo-yo, preparing to leave, when a hand on her shoulder stopped her, and she turned to face Adrien, who quickly withdrew his hand as if he'd been burned, using it to rub the back of his neck.

"Hey, um, this was fun. Maybe we could hang out, outside of a shoot?" Adrien asked nervously, and Ladybug's eyes widened. "Maybe I could tell you how my Chemistry homework went."

"Oh, okay! I mean, I'd like that," Ladybug smiled, and Adrien returned one of his own. "I'll see you around." Ladybug flung her yo-yo, and she took off, waving down at Adrien, who was waving back. She made it back to her balcony, and detransformed, giggling as she caught Tikki in her hands.

"I can't believe that just happened, Tikki!" Marinette exclaimed, opening the hatch and heading into her room, where she collapsed onto her chaise. "I was in a photo shoot with Adrien!"

"I can't wait to see the photos! I'm sure they'll be perfect for your wall." Tikki teased, rubbing against Marinette's cheek, and the girl blushed.

"Tikki!" Marinette pretended to be offended, and her kwami giggled. "You're right, though. They'll be perfect." Marinette sighed, letting memories of the photo shoot run through her mind.

This had been one of the best ideas Marinette had ever had.

* * *

 **This was really fun, and I'm definitely looking forward to the next prompt, too, so hopefully the next update will be just as quick :)**

 **-Green**


	3. Games

**Hello! Another fun prompt means that this was fun to write, so I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Games**

Screams were almost a norm in Paris for Adrien nowadays. The akumas Hawkmoth would send were impossible for anyone but Ladybug and Cat Noir to handle, even the police, so screaming was common, and also served as a good indicator that an attack was happening, as it meant that he and Ladybug could get to the scene as fast as possible.

So when he heard screaming while he was in class, he immediately wondered how he could get away to transform. Miss Bustier instructed them to hide under their desks, since the akuma was inside the school, and running into the hall would only mean that they'd be in danger. This made getting away especially hard for Adrien, since it would be very suspicious if he tried to sneak away.

While he tried to figure out how to slip away unnoticed, he noticed that Alya was looking worried. She kept looking to the door, as if waiting for something.

"Hey, Alya, what's wrong?" Adrien asked, which drew her attention and Nino's, who was hiding next to him. Alya came down to their desk, and Nino scooted over to make room.

"Marinette's not back from the bathroom yet," Alya replied, and Adrien looked over the desk to see that Marinette was missing. He frowned and returned his attention to Alya. "I hope she's not in danger from that akuma…"

"I'm sure she's found a good hiding spot. She wouldn't be reckless enough to put herself in danger." Adrien assured Alya.

"Yeah, dude, I bet she's hiding in the bathroom or something! That would probably be the safest place out there." Nino added, and Alya managed a smile.

"You're probably right. Marinette's first instinct when an akuma attack hits is to hide, after all." Alya said, looking much better, which made Adrien glad. However, it didn't help him work out how he was going to get to the akuma and help out Ladybug, who was probably already working on defeating it and waiting for him.

"Students, it looks like Ladybug's managed to get the akuma out of the school," Miss Bustier informed the class, causing a few people to stand up. "You should all head home and stay there until the attack is over. We'll resume the lesson tomorrow. Stay safe, everyone!" What luck! Adrien grabbed his bag and headed out of the classroom along with the other students, getting bumped a few times in the process. He was heading down the stairs when he caught sight of Ladybug zipping past, and he ran in the direction that she was headed. As he was about to duck into a nearby alley and transform, Ladybug landed in front of him, causing him to stop.

"You need to go home! This area isn't safe!" Ladybug told him, and she scanned the rooftops, letting out a groan. "Where is that cat? He's never this late…" She turned her attention back to Adrien, who pretended that he hadn't just been staring at her. "The akuma doesn't seem to be causing much trouble right now, so you should be fine to get home without being in danger."

"Okay, thank you," Adrien said, and Ladybug was about to zip off when he blurted out, "Did you want to come to my house later?" Ladybug whipped around to face him, eyes wide.

"What?" Ladybug asked, and Adrien gulped. His timing was really bad, and he knew it.

"Sorry, it just came out. But if you want to let out some stress or something, you can come over. If you wait on the roof adjacent to my house, I can let you into my room without you being seen." Adrien told her, and his face got warm. He couldn't believe that he asked Ladybug over to his house! He really had it bad for her. He could feel Plagg move around in his shirt pocket, and was pretty sure he'd get an earful from him later.

"Um, okay? I'll see if I can spare some time later. But first, this akuma needs to be taken care of!" Ladybug said, and she flew away with her yo-yo. As soon as she was gone, Plagg flew out of his pocket and laughed.

"You asked Ladybug over to your house? Really, kid? This is a new low for you." Plagg snickered, and Adrien groaned.

"Shut up, Plagg," Adrien hissed, but his kwami only snickered more. Adrien sighed. "We need to go help her now, so let's go! Plagg, claws out!"

* * *

Once the akuma had been taken care of, Adrien had returned home and was trying to distract himself by playing some Ultimate Mecha Strike III, but he found himself glancing over at his windows more often than he was playing the game.

"You really need to calm down, kid. You're just going to be disappointed if she doesn't show up." Plagg told him, and Adrien sighed, putting down the controller after pausing the game.

"I know, but I really hope she does come…" Adrien said, standing up and walking over to the windows to look outside. He didn't see anything at first, and was about to give up and try to forget about his invitation when he caught sight of a blur in the distance. When it got closer, Adrien could see red, and his eyes widened. "She's coming this way!"

"Well, you don't need her to see you acting like you are now; act natural!" Plagg warned, and Adrien flung himself onto his couch and pulled out his phone, pulling up a random app. Adrien heard the yo-yo sounds as she got closer, and then the soft thud as she landed on the nearby rooftop. Only then did Adrien look up, and he was met with the sight of Ladybug looking around, possibly wondering if she'd been sighted. Adrien put his phone back in his pocket and gave Plagg a few seconds to hide before he walked over to the windows and opened one.

"Psst!" He called out, and that attracted Ladybug's attention, who waved at him. He beckoned for her to come in, and he took a few steps back as she swung over, jumping into his room and landing elegantly. Adrien barely managed to suppress a blush at seeing his lady so close to him. "I'm glad you came over. I was starting to think you wouldn't show."

"I just had to find a reason to get here, you know? My friend wanted to hang out, so I told her that I was busy with homework and stuff." Ladybug replied, seeming to be a bit flustered. Adrien chuckled, thinking about how differently she was acting around him compared to when he was Cat Noir. "What's so funny?" Now it was Adrien's turn to be flustered at being called out, and he could feel Plagg wriggle around in his pocket, poking fun at him.

"Oh, I was just thinking that it's funny to see a superhero acting casually for once instead of battle-ready." Adrien replied, and Ladybug laughed.

"With the way Cat Noir acts when we're fighting akumas, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference." Ladybug said, and Adrien was about to retort when he remembered that he wasn't Cat Noir at the moment, so he kept his mouth shut. Ladybug's attention was drawn to something, and Adrien turned to see her staring at his paused game.

"You were playing Ultimate Mecha Strike III?" Ladybug asked, and Adrien nodded. "That's my favourite game to play!" Adrien recalled when they had to fight the Gamer and how Ladybug seemed to be completely comfortable with operating their mech. She was really good, so she must play a lot.

"Yeah, I'm pretty decent at it," Adrien told her, and he almost missed the frown that appeared on Ladybug's face for a second before it disappeared. He wondered what that meant. "Anyway, did you want to play? I have a spare controller." Ladybug's eyes brightened, and Adrien's face heated up. Her eyes really were beautiful.

"Sure! Let's see how 'decent' you are at the game." Ladybug smirked, and Adrien returned his own. It looked like she was competitive, and he would definitely rise to her challenge. He grabbed the extra controller and plugged it in before handing it to Ladybug. He started up a new game and they chose their mechs, Ladybug going for the red and black one, and he going for a green and black one.

As soon as the fight started, he knew he was out of his depth. She instantly battered him with combos right off the bat, and her fingers were tapping so fast on the controller that it looked like they were dancing. Adrien tried his best to keep up, but his HP bar kept dwindling, and soon enough she brought his mech down, letting out a victory cheer when she won. He was about to congratulate her on her victory, but froze when he heard footsteps approaching his room. He looked to Ladybug with wide eyes, and she had a panicked look on her face.

"Quick, in the bathroom!" Adrien whispered, and Ladybug dashed in and shut the door just as a knock sounded on his door. "What is it?"

"Do you have someone in your room?" Nathalie's voice asked, and Adrien was glad. Nathalie wouldn't usually come into his room without an invitation, but his father would just enter as he pleased.

"No, that was me. Sorry about that," Adrien said, chuckling with fake embarrassment. "I beat a particularly hard level of this game I'm playing, and I got too excited about it."

"Okay, Adrien. Please keep it down." Nathalie replied, and Adrien could hear her walking down the hall. Adrien sighed in relief, and went over to the bathroom to get Ladybug. He opened the door and found her looking around the bathroom with a sense of awe.

"Your bathroom is huge!" Ladybug said, inspecting the shower.

"Yeah, it's very spacious, but it's cold." Adrien sighed, taking a look around his bathroom. Sure, it fit everything that he needed in it, but it just… didn't feel like his. Ladybug frowned when she looked at him and saw his face.

"I guess we were being too loud, huh?" Ladybug changed the subject, and Adrien looked at her to see a smile on her face, eyebrow raised, which lifted Adrien's mood.

"Shouting when you won probably didn't help anything." Adrien grinned, and Ladybug chuckled.

"That's true, I should have been more careful," Ladybug admitted. She pointed a thumb back into his room, a smirk on her face. "Shall we go back and watch me kick your butt again?"

"I think it'll be your butt that gets the kicking!" Adrien challenged, and the two ran back into his room, ready to let off some more steam. Adrien proceeded to lose all of their games, but he was glad for the time that he got to spend with his lady.

* * *

 **More banter than game play, but isn't that what we want to see, anyway? The next prompt's an interesting one, so until then!**

 **-Green**


	4. I Can Show You the World

**Hello! Two updates within 24 hours is pretty good! I actually really enjoyed this prompt, and I hope that's reflected in my writing! Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **I Can Show You the World**

Marinette rushed into class just as the bell went, having slept in yet again, but fortunately Tikki woke her up in time. She gave Miss Bustier a sheepish look as she walked to her seat, and glanced at Adrien, doing a double take when she saw the sad expression on his face. As she took her seat, she considered asking him what was wrong, but Miss Bustier started the lesson before she could even tap his shoulder.

Marinette didn't try to concentrate on the lesson today, distracted by thoughts of what could have made Adrien sad this morning. Alya shook her a few times when Miss Bustier called on her to answer a question, or if she was looking at her, but otherwise Marinette's thoughts were completely on Adrien's situation until the bell rang. As everyone started to pack up, Marinette decided that she would see if she could cheer Adrien up at all.

"Hey, Alya, I'll catch up with you later," Marinette then leaned in. "I want to make sure that Adrien's okay." Alya sported a wicked grin after hearing Marinette's explanation, and Marinette almost groaned.

"I got you, girl. I'll see you in a while," Alya leaned in herself. "And you're definitely going to tell me all the details, right?" Marinette blushed.

"Of course, Alya." Marinette gave her friend a light shove, and Alya laughed as she exited the classroom. Marinette noticed that Adrien was still packing up his books, so when he stood up, she reached forward and tapped his shoulder, and he turned around to face her. He still had a sad expression, but he tried to hide it behind a smile. Marinette knew better, though.

"Hey, Marinette. Did you need something?" Adrien asked, his tone a bit flat, which only made Marinette even more worried. There was definitely something on Adrien's mind, and Marinette really wanted to help him with it.

"Hi, Adrien…" Marinette said in a quiet voice, and she had to pump herself up internally so that she could talk properly. It would be bad to let her stuttering make him feel worse just because she couldn't control it. "I noticed that you're a bit down today. Is something wrong?" This prompted a sigh from Adrien.

"Yeah, it's my father…" Adrien admitted, and Marinette's heart broke a little at how sad Adrien sounded. She knew his relationship with his father was tough, but she didn't know how bad it was. "I want to go to a show tonight, but he won't let me. He never lets me go anywhere! I can barely even appreciate Paris' beauty, since he wants me to be at home if I'm not doing anything he wants."

Marinette was speechless. She didn't know it was that bad. She knew Adrien had a busy schedule, but she didn't realise how little freedom he had. Knowing that she could do what she wanted to most of the time, she felt really bad for Adrien. She wanted to do something for him…

"I had to convince Father to let me go to school! Why can't he understand that I want a little freedom?" Adrien continued, and Marinette's heart went out to him.

"I'm so sorry, Adrien. I wish I could help you with him…" Marinette said, and Adrien smiled at her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you, Marinette. Just knowing that you care is enough for me," Adrien told her, but he sighed soon after. "Maybe one day Father will let me have some fun for once… But I have to go have lunch at home now, so I'll see you later." Adrien picked up his bag and left the classroom, leaving Marinette alone.

Marinette sighed. She didn't feel like she'd helped Adrien at all. Suddenly, an idea struck, which brought a smile to her face. She unclasped her purse, and Tikki flew out.

"Poor Adrien! He has it really tough." Tikki said, and Marinette nodded.

"I might not be able to help him, but I think I know someone who might be able to…" Marinette said, winking at Tikki, and Tikki's eyes lit up.

* * *

Ladybug waited on a roof nearby Adrien's mansion, snacking on a croissant that she'd grabbed from the bakery before she got here. It was almost the end of lunch time, so she knew that Adrien would be coming out soon to get back to school. A few minutes later, the front door opened, and Adrien slipped out, closing the door behind him. Before he could get much further, Ladybug zipped down and landed in front of him, startling him.

"Ladybug?!" Adrien exclaimed, and Ladybug put a finger to her lips. "What are you doing here?" He said in a quieter voice.

"I heard from someone that you're not getting a full dose of what being a teenager is like," Ladybug said, arms crossed. "And I'm here to fix that for the day!"

"Marinette…" Adrien said quietly, and then looked at Ladybug. "What are you suggesting?" Adrien asked, and Ladybug could tell that he was intrigued.

"I'm saying, how about you skip the rest of school and let this superhero take you wherever you want to go?" Ladybug winked, and Adrien's cheeks turned a light pink.

"Don't you have places to be? I don't want to be any trouble…" Adrien asked, and Ladybug wondered how one person could be so considerate of others.

"Nope, I have nothing else to do!" Ladybug lied. "So, how about it? Pick a place, and I'll take you there." Adrien eyebrows crinkled as he thought about the offer. He seemed to come to a decision, and a serious expression made its way onto his face.

"Sounds great!" Adrien answered, and Ladybug smiled. "How about we go to the Louvre first? I've been before, but I haven't been able to fully appreciate the artwork."

"Good choice! Hold on to me." Ladybug instructed, and Adrien held on to her waist as she grabbed her yo-yo and flung it at a nearby chimney, and they were off.

* * *

Adrien looked at the art in awe. Now that he was able to look at it longer than a glance, Adrien could see how beautiful the paintings were. He admired the statues as well, and made sure to read every description to know about it all. Reading about it in books was one thing, but being able to look at the art up close was something else.

"How are you finding everything?" Ladybug asked, and Adrien turned to flash a smile.

"It's really great! I've seen everything in books, but it's definitely better seeing it in person." Adrien told her, and Ladybug's smile widened.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself! After here, where would you like to go next?" Ladybug asked, and Adrien thought about it. There were many places where he could ask to go, but one in particular stood out.

"How about the top of the Eiffel Tower? That way, I can see all of Paris and still be able to enjoy it all in a timely manner." Adrien suggested, and Ladybug's eyes lit up.

"What a great idea! I really love seeing Paris from up so high, it really is beautiful," Ladybug clasped her hands together, and Adrien could tell how much she loves Paris. That's why he thinks that she's the perfect person to protect Paris from Hawk Moth, with a little help from Cat Noir, of course. "Are you ready to go, or would you like to stay a little longer?"

"We can go. Seeing how excited you are for it, I want to share that excitement." Adrien told her, and Ladybug nodded, turning away a little as if she was embarrassed.

"Okay, let's go, then!" Ladybug said, and they made their way out of the Louvre.

* * *

Ladybug landed on the top observation deck of the Eiffel Tower, and Adrien let go to go to the edge and look out at Paris.

"Wow…" He breathed, gazing out. Everything looked so small from up here! It really was different seeing it now than it was as Cat Noir. While Cat Noir usually didn't have the time to observe because of the akumas, and the patrols at night were dark, seeing it now in the day was really special. He turned away from the view to look at Ladybug, who was staring at him with a small smile on her face. "Thank you for this, Ladybug. I really appreciate that you did this for me."

"It's fine, Adrien. Marinette was really worried about you, and I couldn't let two people be sad." Ladybug told him, and Adrien took a moment to take in her words.

"Marinette was really that worried about me?" Adrien asked, surprised. Shy, kind Marinette was so worried about him that she managed to get Ladybug to give him a tour of Paris? The thought made him warm inside and he smiled at his classmate's kindness, even if she isn't able to talk to him in full sentences without stuttering most of the time. She really was a good friend.

"Yeah, she just wanted you to feel better after learning how upset your father made you this morning," Ladybug replied, scratching the back of her head. "Anyway, you came up here to look at Paris, right? And I'm guessing you have somewhere to be after this, too. So you should enjoy the view as much as you can while you still have time."

Adrien nodded and turned back to look out at Paris. He could see his mansion from here, and he also spotted Marinette's bakery. He'd have to show her how grateful he was the next time he saw her. After looking at the view for as long as possible, Ladybug took Adrien back to the school so that he could make it on time for fencing practice.

* * *

Marinette was in her room, doing some homework when there was a knock on her trapdoor.

"Marinette, there's someone here to see you!" Sabine called through the door.

"I'll be downstairs in a second, Mama!" Marinette called back, and Marinette could hear her mum walking back down the steps. Marinette turned to Tikki, who was sitting next to her homework on the desk, snacking on a cookie. "I'll be back in a few minutes, Tikki. Enjoy your meal."

"Thank you, Marinette!" Tikki said as Marinette stood up and left her room. Going down the stairs, Marinette almost had a heart attack when she saw that, standing next to her mum in the living room, was Adrien. She wondered how he was able to get such a strong reaction from her, even though she'd been with him for most of the afternoon, but him being in her house was probably a major reason.

"Hey, Marinette!" Adrien greeted her, smiling, and Marinette was happy to see that he was still in a good mood after she left him.

"Hi, Adrien!" Marinette said shyly, a little flustered. She noticed her mum watching her closely, and she shot her a look. "Mama, I can take it from here." Sabine laughed.

"Okay, Marinette, I trust you." Sabine winked, and Marinette could feel a blush coming on.

"Mum!" Marinette whined, and Sabine laughed some more. Adrien looked confused, and Marinette was glad that he was unaware of what her mother had just implied.

"I'll be downstairs if you need me, you two." Sabine said, heading to the stairs leading to the bakery.

"Thanks for letting me up, Mrs. Cheng!" Adrien said to her, and Sabine turned back to him, a smile on her face.

"You can call me Sabine, honey." Sabine said before walking downstairs. Marinette stared after her mother to make sure she wouldn't suddenly come back, so she was caught off guard when Adrien suddenly pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her. Marinette was frozen in shock for a few seconds, but she eventually found it in her to put her arms around him. When he pulled away, her face was bright red, and Adrien chuckled, his face a light pink.

"I came over because I wanted to thank you for what you did today." Adrien told her, and Marinette's heart skipped a beat.

"W-What did I do? A-All I did was talk to you, and even then I wasn't much help…" Marinette stammered, and she internally face palmed. That hug made her insides go haywire, and she was surprised that she hadn't died and gone to heaven yet.

"You talked to Ladybug, which was why I wasn't at school after lunch," Adrien explained. Of course, she wasn't either, but he wouldn't know that. "She told me that you were worried about me, so she came and took me to a few places."

"O-Oh! Yeah, I know I wouldn't be able to take you anywhere, s-so I tried to see if I could ask either Ladybug or Cat Noir to help." Marinette said, and Adrien smiled at her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm really grateful, Marinette. I had a really great time, both seeing Paris and hanging out with Ladybug," Adrien beamed, and Marinette almost swooned. "You're a great friend."

"Th-Thanks, Adrien. That's nice of you to say." Marinette replied, and Adrien took his hand away.

"I should probably go now, my driver's waiting for me outside, but I just wanted to tell you that you're a good person, Marinette, and you should never forget that. You could have just listened to my problems and done nothing, but you went further and made sure that my day was extra special," Adrien leaned in and kissed Marinette on the cheek, which caused Marinette to blush heavily. "I'll try my best to return the favour. See you at school tomorrow!" Adrien turned around and headed down to the bakery, and Marinette slowly raised a hand to touch her cheek.

Adrien Agreste kissed her on the cheek. She really could die happy now. A huge smile made its way onto her face, and Marinette rushed upstairs to tell Tikki and Alya all about what had just happened. Kindness really paid off, and if she was able to make Adrien happy by being nice to him, then she would keep doing that. That was enough for her heart at the moment. Maybe in the future they could be together, but she was happy to be a friend to him for now.

* * *

 **A good balance of Ladrien and Adrienette, I'd say! I love them so much omg**

 **-Green**


	5. First Love

**I'll admit, this prompt had me stumped at first, but I like the way it turned out. Hope you all like it, too!**

* * *

 **First Love**

Marinette sighed as she walked into her room, Alya entering closely behind her. Today had been a particularly long day at school, with science being especially boring and Chloe being a pain at all times, and Marinette was glad that she was home and didn't have to worry about anything for the rest of the day unless an akuma attack happened. Marinette collapsed onto her chaise and Alya laughed, taking a seat next to her.

"Girl, you look wiped out! I know Chloe's a brat and all, but are you really that tired?" Alya asked, and Marinette looked at her to see that she had an eyebrow raised. Marinette closed her eyes and groaned.

"I didn't get a lot of sleep last night." Marinette replied, and it wasn't exactly a lie. Last night there had been an akuma attack, which had her and Cat Noir out until four in the morning.

"Maybe you should start going to bed earlier," Alya suggested, and then the chaise shifted as Alya stood up. "Is that a new one? Girl, sometimes I worry about you and your obsession with him." Marinette sat up and saw Alya pointing at a picture of Adrien on the wall that was, as Alya guessed, brand new, being from a magazine that was released yesterday.

"It's not an obsession!" Marinette said defensively, giving Alya a hard look. "He's just really nice, and sweet, and it doesn't hurt that he's a model…" Alya put a hand to her forehead and shook her head, but her mouth was twisted into an amused smirk.

"Did you ever behave like this with any of your other crushes? Because if you did, I'm surprised that you don't have a restraining order against you or something." Alya joked, and Marinette sighed, standing up and walking over to her friend. She looked at the new picture of Adrien for a few seconds before turning to Alya.

"Actually, Adrien's the first boy that's made me feel like this…" Marinette admitted quietly, which elicited a squeal from Alya that made Marinette wince.

"If you feel so strongly about him, then maybe you are meant to be with him!" Alya said excitedly, and Marinette couldn't help but crack a smile. "Who knew that you'd be in love with a boy that you couldn't stand at first?"

"Alya! It was a misunderstanding and he apologised!" Marinette giggled, but something else that Alya said made her think. Was she in love with Adrien? At times it seemed like a silly crush, and that maybe it would pass. But at other times, her feelings for Adrien felt so real, and she could really only imagine spending the rest of her life with him. Hell, he was also one of the few people that she felt like taking a risk with and telling about her double life as Ladybug! If it was just a silly crush, then would she really have such serious thoughts regarding him? Marinette glanced at the Adrien pictures stuck all over her walls, and she sighed contently. Maybe she was in love with Adrien.

"Girl, snap out of it!" Alya cut into her thoughts, and Marinette shook her head slightly as she focused on her friend, who had an eyebrow raised at her. "If you're able to stop thinking about him for one second, then maybe we might be able to get some of that maths homework done." Marinette blushed and went over to her bed to get out her maths book, and Alya laughed as she got her own book.

* * *

Adrien had just finished fencing practice, and was packing his bag with things from his locker. Since Adrien had also changed out of his fencing gear, Plagg took the opportunity to slip out of Adrien's bag and into his pocket, where Adrien had just put a piece of camembert for him to eat on the way home.

Heading out of the school and into the limo waiting for him, Adrien was raring to get home. He wanted to vent to Plagg about a certain superheroine, but he hadn't had the chance to yet. Adrien would have talked to one of his friends about it, but Nino probably would have teased him about having a crush on a superhero, Alya and Chloe both would have taken over the conversation and talked his ear off, not to mention that Chloe would have been holding onto him the whole time, and Marinette would have just let him talk the whole time and add her own contributions if he went quiet, but the whole thing would be awkward and she'd stutter the whole time and stare at him with those wide eyes. At the end of it, they'd all probably wave it off as a teen crush and not take him seriously. Plagg would let him vent, and although he would act disgusted by it, he knew that Plagg would always support him, especially since he was the one who let him become Cat Noir and got to see Ladybug firsthand.

Adrien was confused about a lot of things, being so sheltered, and the feelings that he had for Ladybug was something that he'd never experienced before. He'd tried to tell Ladybug that he loved her on Valentine's Day, but he couldn't even be sure that it was love that he was feeling. The only love that he had to go off was his love for his mother, since his father and Nathalie would likely wave him off if he tried to ask them for advice. His love for his mother and Ladybug felt similar, but they were also two completely different relationships, which made him unsure about matters of the heart.

When the limo pulled up inside the mansion, Adrien thanked his driver and walked inside, where his father was waiting for him at the top of the stairs, Nathalie at the bottom.

"Did you practice hard today?" His father asked, and Adrien tried not to react visibly to the neutrality of his father's tone. He would definitely not ask his father about what was on his mind, since he seemed to be incapable of even showing love to his own son.

"Yes, Father." Adrien replied evenly, and his father nodded, walking into his study down the hall. Nathalie cleared her throat, and Adrien turned to her.

"Dinner will be ready at six." Nathalie informed him, and after thanking her, she left to go to her office. Adrien sighed; Nathalie wouldn't be much help either. She was too focused on her job to listen to Adrien's problem. Adrien ascended the stairs and headed down the opposite hallway to his room. Once he was in his room and the door was closed, Plagg flew out of his shirt pocket, popping the last of the camembert into his mouth. Adrien flopped onto his bed on his back and rested his head behind his arms, staring up at the ceiling. Plagg landed next to his head, and Adrien turned to look at him. He opened his mouth to start sharing his thoughts.

"I know what you're thinking about, kid, and let me tell you that I'm not looking forward to it." Plagg got in before Adrien could speak, prompting Adrien to close his mouth in surprise. But he quickly recovered.

"Really? And what am I thinking about?" Adrien smirked, and Plagg let out an exaggerated sigh.

"Ladybug, of course. You and your talk of love makes me sick." Plagg shot back, and Adrien chuckled.

"It's a bit deeper than just about Ladybug, Plagg," Adrien said, poking his tongue out playfully, but then he decided to be serious. "I was thinking about how deeply my feelings for her run. I'm not sure if this is just a strong crush or if it's the real deal."

"If the way you talk about her is all because of some crush, I'm not going to be amused," Plagg gave Adrien a dry look, but he let up. "But really, I think you're in love, kid. I've seen many Cat Noirs fall in love with their Ladybugs, and even the other way around, and I think this is similar to them."

"You think so?" Adrien asked, sitting up, and Plagg came and floated in front of him and nodded, which made Adrien grin. "Thank you, Plagg! I knew this feeling had to be stronger than just a crush."

"Anything to make you happy, kid." Plagg nuzzled against Adrien's cheek in a rare display of affection, and Adrien laugh.

"I'll let you have some extra cheese to show my gratitude," Adrien told him, and Plagg's eyes lit up. Adrien got up and grabbed some wedges from his stash. Placing them on the desk, he chuckled as Plagg flew over and started to gobble them up. Adrien went over to his windows and looked out, placing a hand on the glass. "Ladybug, my first love, you're the one for me."

* * *

 **I liked the chance to write Alya and Plagg, and I hope I did them both justice! Remember to leave a review or follow if you want! Any feedback is much appreciated. :)**

 **-Green**


	6. Everyone Can See It

**Okay, so I just knew that I had to use that one scene from The Mime because it's so perfect, so here we go!**

* * *

 **Everyone Can See It**

Marinette groaned into her pillow, Tikki watching her from a safe distance in case she started flailing or something. One time Marinette had been upset about making a fool of herself in front of Adrien and Tikki had been caught off guard when Marinette's hand came and accidentally smacked her across the room, so the kwami wasn't taking any risks.

"I can't believe I stared at him as Ladybug… I'm such an idiot!" Marinette wailed, her voice muffled by her pillow. There had been an akuma attack involving Mylene's dad, and she had stopped a car to tell the occupants to get to safety, and was stunned when a window rolled down and Adrien's surprised face was staring back at her.

"Cheer up, Marinette! It's not like it could get any worse," Tikki comforted her charge, still keeping her distance. "At least you didn't stutter in front of him or reveal who you are." Marinette rolled over and smiled at her kwami, who flew closer and nuzzled Marinette's cheek.

"You're right, Tikki. It's not like anyone will even remember it tomorrow," Marinette said, and Tikki nodded. "Now, I should prepare to go to the show. Alya said she'd meet me there, and I don't want to keep her waiting."

* * *

Marinette didn't realise that she could be so wrong.

She walked into class, on time for once, and instantly Alya was waving her over excitedly. On her way to their desk, Marinette looked around the room quickly and noticed that everyone in class seemed to be chattering excitedly about something. Well, almost everyone. Chloe had her arms crossed and was facing away from Sabrina, a frown on her face as Sabrina talked to her.

"What's going on?" Marinette asked as she sat down, and Alya pulled out her phone.

"Look at what someone posted on the Ladyblog last night!" Alya exclaimed, shoving it in Marinette's face, and Marinette had to back up to get a better look. What she saw made her freeze.

Somehow, someone had captured a picture of the moment she, as Ladybug, had stopped Adrien's car and their surprised expressions. Marinette almost groaned. Instead, she put on a smile for Alya and looked up at the excited girl.

"Can you believe it?! Ladybug and Adrien saw each other during the akuma attack! And it's so obvious that they like each other!" Marinette's eyes widened as she registered Alya's words through her shock.

"What? Are you sure?" Marinette took the phone and had another look at the photo. She supposed that the wide eyes and slack-jawed expressions could look like they were smitten with each other. Marinette resisted the urge to face palm, and instead occupied her hands by giving Alya's phone back and grabbed her books from her bag. "I guess it could be seen like that, but don't you think that maybe they could be star struck? After all, they are both celebrities…"

"No way, girl! It's definitely more than that!" Alya argued, and Marinette sighed. "Just ask anyone in the class, they'll all agree." Marinette gave a hopeful look at Nino, who had been listening in.

"Sorry, Marinette, but I'm with Alya on this one," Nino said, and Marinette sighed. "There is like, total chemistry between them." At that moment, the sound of many voices coming from outside the classroom could be heard, and almost as a body, the whole class got up and looked out the windows overlooking the courtyard. Marinette was horrified to see that Adrien was surrounded by people, asking him something that she couldn't make out because of the distance. He was trying to ignore them, but as he walked up the stairs, Marinette could see that he looked annoyed and flustered by the sudden attention.

Just as Adrien made it to the door, everyone except Marinette moved toward it, and as soon as he opened it, Adrien was bombarded with questions and phone screens showing the picture in his face.

"Adrien, do you have a crush on Ladybug?" Alya's voice was heard, and Marinette sighed. She never expected a reaction like this, and at that moment, she was glad that she was Ladybug at the time of the incident so she wasn't being harassed either.

"I-It's not like that! I was just surprised!" Adrien told everyone, but it looked like no one believed him.

"It's fine, dude! I'm sure most of us at least feel some sort of attraction to Ladybug, right guys?" Kim asked, and Marinette was mortified when every guy in the room nodded their head. Marinette could feel her cheeks heat up, and that's when she decided that enough was enough. She made her way through the crowd and grabbed Adrien's arm.

"Okay, everyone! Give Adrien some space, he just got here!" Marinette shouted, and the crowd split to allow her to pull Adrien out of the crowd and to his seat. "If you really want to talk to him about it, you don't need to swarm him for information!" Marinette's head whipped to face Chloe when she heard a snicker come from behind her. "What?!"

"Are you jealous that Adrien's into someone as amazing as Ladybug, and not you, Marinette?" Chloe asked, a smirk on her lips, and Marinette's eyes widened. "You're being a little possessive, don't you think?" That's when Marinette became aware of skin contact, and her hand flew off Adrien's arm so fast that she almost hit herself in the face.

"I, uh, I-I was-" Marinette stammered, lost for words. She had to admit that Chloe had a point; she really was acting like a jealous lover. Fortunately for Marinette, she was saved from having to answer everyone's expectant faces by Miss Bustier walking into the room, who stopped upon seeing the majority of her students at the front of the room.

"What's going on here? Can everyone please take their seats?" Miss Bustier requested, and everyone moved to their seats, glancing at Adrien and Marinette curiously when they passed. Marinette's cheeks were on fire at this point, and she avoided everyone's gazes by looking down at the desk. Alya nudged her upon sliding into her seat, and it took Marinette a few more seconds to calm down enough to pay attention to Miss Bustier taking the roll. A folded piece of paper landed on her desk, and Marinette looked at it in confusion. She looked at the two boys in front of her to see Adrien's arm returning to his side. Marinette almost blushed again, and she opened the paper to see what he'd written.

 _Thanks for the save._

 _No problem_ , Marinette wrote down, hiding it from a curious Alya before slipping the paper back onto Adrien's desk. After that, she tried to focus on class, while occasionally staring at the back of Adrien's head and wondering if he really did like Ladybug.

* * *

Cat Noir made it to the Notre Dame and took a few deeps breaths of the cool night sky, and settled down to wait for Ladybug. Tonight was probably going to be the best part of his day, since the rest had been so stressful.

He hadn't been left alone since he got to school that morning until he'd finished all his extracurricular activities and gone home, which, for once, was a relief. He didn't know how someone had managed to snap a picture of him and Ladybug staring at each other, but everyone kept asking him if he had a crush on her, and he was getting tired of hearing the same questions everywhere he went. Granted, he did have a thing for his lady, but the whole of Paris didn't need to know that Adrien did; only that Cat Noir did. He wondered if Ladybug had heard the rumours, and if she had, what she thought of them.

It looked like he was about to find out, though, as he was able to see and hear Ladybug coming closer with his night vision and improved hearing. He plastered on a smirk as she landed on the roof, and he approached her. She turned to look at him, and an eyebrow shot up when she could make out his expression.

"Looks like I've got some competition, huh? I didn't know you were into models." Cat Noir commented, and he was surprised when Ladybug let out a frustrated groan.

"Ugh, not you too!" Ladybug replied, putting a hand to her forehead. "I've heard enough about that stupid photo from everyone around me, and I don't need to hear it from you, too."

"You know, if I was out of the picture, I think I would a _purr_ ove of you and him," Cat Noir smirked, and Ladybug gave him a light shove that didn't move him an inch, which only led to his smirk becoming a toothy grin. "But as it is, I am here, and I'll let you know now, I am very _purr_ ssessive of my lady. You wouldn't want something to happen to him, would you?"

"Don't touch him!" Ladybug snapped, and it became silent as her words sunk in. Cat Noir blinked.

"So the rumours are true, you do like Adrien Agreste," Cat Noir replied, and Ladybug could only stare. Cat Noir let a grin onto his face; his lady did like him! Well, the face under the mask, but it was something. "Looks like I have my work cut out for me, but beating out a model for your affections is some good _meow_ tivation for me to work harder."

"Cat Noir, please stop." Ladybug sighed, but he wasn't going to pass this opportunity up.

"At the very least, it looks like I fall into his _cat_ egory in terms of your type. Blond hair and green eyes, huh?"

"Cat Noir."

"Looks like I'll have to tell you why you should choose me. My eyes are brighter than his, and do you know why?"

"I swear I'll leave."

"Because you light up my world, milady!"

"Goodbye, Cat Noir. I'll see you later." And with that, Ladybug promptly zipped away on her yo-yo, leaving Cat Noir alone on the roof. He laughed.

"Worth it. I learned a whole lot about my lady that makes this cat want to purr." Cat Noir grinned, and he started his own patrol of Paris, lengthening his staff to launch him from roof to roof.

* * *

 **Obviously, Cat Noir approves. :P**

 **This was a fun prompt, since I got to be really silly with it and embarrass them as much as possible. Also, Cat Noir puns are fun to think up.**

 **-Green**


	7. Shower Scene

**Ah yes, good ol' Adrien and the shower excuse. That scene with Ladybug and Cat Noir on either side of the door still makes me feel so many emotions every time I see it. This is set in the aftermath of Volpina, and I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Shower Scene**

Ladybug zipped away from the Agreste mansion, face as red as her suit. She returned to her balcony and dropped down onto her bed, detransforming with a heavy sigh. Tikki grabbed a cookie from Marinette's desk and flew back over, looking at her charge with worry.

"Two times in a row… How can my odds be so bad that every time I go to check up on Adrien after an akuma attack that involved him, he's been in the shower? I thought I was supposed to be lucky!" Marinette groaned dramatically, putting her arms behind her head.

"Don't worry about it, Marinette. I'm sure it's just a coincidence." Tikki said soothingly, and Marinette smiled.

"You're right, Tikki. I'll just check up on him tomorrow. It'll be Saturday, so I can go visit when he's not busy." Marinette decided.

"Good idea! I'm sure he'll appreciate you checking up on him properly." Tikki encouraged, and Marinette giggled at the thought of seeing Adrien again, even with the circumstances behind the visit and what had happened that day.

"Marinette! Dinner's ready!" Marinette heard her father's voice call up to her, and Marinette sat up.

"I'm coming down now, Papa!" Marinette called back, and Marinette went to her desk to make sure there were enough cookies for Tikki. "See you soon, Tikki! I might bring up a treat for you." Tikki waved as Marinette left her room to go to dinner.

* * *

After talking to Alya on the phone, who had called that morning to talk to her all about the latest akuma, leaving Marinette to feign being interested as Alya rambled about Volpina and how Ladybug and Cat Noir defeated her, Marinette decided to check up on Adrien. She knew that he would probably be fine, since he wasn't involved heavily in the attack, but she just wanted to make sure for her own peace of mind. It definitely wasn't an excuse to see him on a non-school day, nope, not at all.

After making preparations in case her parents tried to call her while she was out, Marinette transformed and launched off her balcony across the rooftops of Paris, heading toward the Agreste mansion. When she reached the mansion, she saw that a window leading into Adrien's room was open, and she jumped onto the window sill and looked inside. She didn't see the model inside, and Ladybug wondered if he had some business to take care of that she'd forgotten about.

"Adrien? Are you here?" Ladybug called out regardless, looking around the room in case she missed him the first time. Deciding not to waste any more time, since it appeared that he wasn't around, Ladybug turned around and was about to throw her yo-yo when a voice stopped her.

"Ladybug? Is that you?" Adrien's voice called out, and Ladybug was horrified when she realised that it came from the bathroom. Surely she hadn't come while he was showering again?! "Did you need something?"

"Oh, uh, it's not that important. I just wanted to check up on you after Volpina came into your room yesterday, since I came at a bad time yesterday. And it seems to be a bad time now, too, so I guess I'll be leaving!" Ladybug replied, laughing awkwardly.

"No, it's fine. I'm just in the shower right now, so I'll finish up and we can talk, okay?" Adrien said, and Ladybug put a hand to her face. Three times in a row she had come when Adrien was showering! He sure did value his appearance, though she supposed that he had to, being a model.

"Okay, I can wait." Ladybug replied, and she entered his room to sit down on the couch. She could hear the shower running, and she tried not to think about Adrien in the shower. She didn't need to make this visit more awkward than it already was. Feeling her face heating up, Ladybug quickly got up and distracted herself by looking around Adrien's room. She'd seen it a few times, but she couldn't help but look around in awe at the sheer size of it. It must be at least twice as big as her room, and she considered her room to be quite spacious!

"Hey, uh, Ladybug?" Adrien's voice distracted her from inspecting his arcade games, and she realised that she'd only gotten closer to where Adrien currently was in her distracted state, and her cheeks flushed as she realised that the water had stopped.

"What is it?" Ladybug asked, backing away from the door.

"I, uh, wasn't expecting visitors, so I don't have a change of clothes in here." Adrien told her, and Ladybug squeaked, squashing down any unwanted thoughts. At least for now. "Could you get me some? Or if you promise not to look, I can come out and get dressed…"

"I'll get them!" Ladybug replied quickly, not even wanting to think about being in the same room as a naked Adrien. That would be too much for her to handle. She scrambled around his room, searching for a wardrobe or something similar. Eventually she came across what she needed, and she grabbed a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, but she hesitated when she realised what she'd have to find next. She would have to open Adrien's underwear drawer and grab him a pair.

Face turning red, Ladybug came up with a plan of attack. She closed her eyes, yanked open the drawer, reached in blindly and grabbed the first pair of what felt like boxers that she could find, closed the drawer and wrapped the shirt around them. She sighed in relief and opened her eyes. She went over to the bathroom door and knocked. The door slid open slightly, and an arm popped out, hand open. Ladybug placed the clothing that she'd picked out in his hand, but before Adrien's hand could close fully, something dropped from the pile onto the floor.

Ladybug couldn't help but stare at the boxers on the floor, which were a bright shade of pink, before letting out a loud squeak and turning around quickly, her blush returning full force. Ladybug heard the door slide closed, and Ladybug peeked to see that the boxers were gone, along with her dignity. Ladybug went and collapsed on Adrien's couch, groaning into the plush cushion her face was currently buried in. Shortly after, the bathroom door slid open and shut, and Ladybug sat up and looked behind her to see Adrien fully dressed and looking at her with an amused smile.

"What's wrong, haven't seen men's underwear before?" Adrien teased, and Ladybug blushed fiercely.

"No! I mean, in clothing stores, sure, but not in a boy's room! And I certainly haven't touched any!" Ladybug exclaimed, flustered that he would make fun of her predicament.

"Well, now you have," Adrien remarked in a playful tone, sitting down on the couch next to her, and Ladybug almost considered running away. "Anyway, you wanted to check up on me?" Ladybug tried to compose herself so that she could answer him coherently.

"Yes! After all, there have been two akumas recently that have involved your family, and I wanted to make sure that you weren't shaken up or anything." Ladybug explained.

"I see. Thanks for your concern, Ladybug," Adrien smiled, and Ladybug smiled back. "I'm feeling fine. Lila didn't hurt me yesterday, only talked to me, so I'm just glad that you and Cat Noir were able to break Hawk Moth's control over her."

"I'm glad to hear that you're fine," Ladybug smiled, pushing back negative thoughts when Adrien mentioned Lila. "Anyway, I should probably leave you to it, since you're probably busy."

"Well, I'm not really busy right now, but I guess you would be, and I don't want to hold you up." Adrien told her, and Ladybug felt a bit sad at hearing that. What would he do when she left? From what she could tell, he didn't really have anyone to talk to or play with, so would he be alone in his room? She felt her heart reach out to him, wanting to make sure this kind boy wasn't lonely. She glanced to the side, and an idea formed in her mind as she spotted the foosball table.

"I only came out to check up on you, so I have some time to spare. Care for a round of foosball before I go?" Ladybug pointed a thumb at the table, and Ladybug's heart warmed at the excitement that filled Adrien's eyes. He probably didn't get many opportunities to play foosball with an opponent, and seeing his pure happiness at the prospect made her glad that she didn't just leave.

"Sounds great!" Adrien said, and they got up and moved to the foosball table, one on each side. As they gave each other determined looks, Ladybug made the decision to try harder to make Adrien feel less lonely, both as Ladybug and as Marinette.

* * *

 **I have so many feelings about these kids, omg. I just want them to be happy. Anyway, this was a prompt that stood out to me the first time I saw the list, so I was looking forward to writing it. If you want, leave a comment if you enjoyed it. :)**

 **-Green**


	8. Jealousy

**Hey guys! Hope you enjoy this chapter! This time, we get to see how these kids react when they see the other getting attention from others, so that's always fun.**

* * *

 **Jealousy**

Ladybug was jumping from rooftop to rooftop through Paris. It was the middle of the day, and Marinette was in danger of being late to something that she had promised to do, so she had transformed into Ladybug to get there in time. However, she had made the mistake of crossing across the park, and that was when she saw it.

Adrien was in the middle of a photo shoot, and he wasn't alone. At his side was another model, hanging off him like a possessive girlfriend.

Ladybug couldn't explain it, but she had this huge rush of anger overcome her, and she quickly hid in the bushes to watch, promise forgotten.

"I can't believe this…" Ladybug said quietly, watching the photo shoot, especially the two models. The female model would keep giving him flirty looks and touching him, and Adrien would look uncomfortable and push her away, similar to what he did with Chloe. Ladybug felt herself smile at that, and then a sudden realisation struck her.

She was jealous. She groaned, face palming. Adrien wasn't even her boyfriend, and here she was, acting like only she was allowed to give him any serious attention. As hard as it was, Ladybug decided to pull herself away from the situation, and that's when she remembered that she had somewhere to be, so she swung away, trying to forget what she had witnessed.

* * *

Adrien came out of an alleyway, having just detransformed after his ring ran out of energy. He was about to walk toward home when he noticed that Ladybug was still around, and he also saw that there were some guys talking to her. Eyebrow raised, Adrien decided to investigate.

He walked closer and hid behind a wall, peering around at the scene. He wondered why Ladybug was talking to citizens still, since the akuma attack was over and there was no reason to stick around.

"Ladybug, we're such big fans of yours!" One of the guys said, and Adrien had to resist rolling his eyes. He knew what it was like, having to deal with fans wanting his autograph or wanting to talk to him.

"Please, can we get your autograph?" Another one said, grinning at her slyly, and something about it made the hairs on Adrien's neck stand on end. Why was he looking at his lady like that? Only he should be allowed to! He noticed Ladybug's expression then, and it was panicked. He figured that she would need to detransform as well, since she had used her Lucky Charm in the battle. She probably felt obligated to these guys, but she only had a few minutes…

"I, uh, really need to get going…" Ladybug said, but they moved forward, pleading with her to give them her autograph. Adrien scowled. They really needed to stop being so pushy and let her go! Before he knew what he was doing, Adrien had stepped out from behind the wall and was approaching the scene, catching the attention of all four people there.

"She said she needs to go! Can't you hear her earrings beeping?" Adrien told them, and he gestured at Ladybug that she could go, and with a grateful nod, Ladybug left the scene. "She might have more time for you later, but now isn't the right time." Now that their reason for being around was gone, the three guys walked away, glancing back at Adrien with annoyed looks, which he returned, arms crossed. Satisfied that he'd helped his lady preserve her identity, as well as getting rid of those pushy guys, Adrien called his driver to pick him up.

* * *

Marinette growled as she looked at the magazine, examining the pictures of Adrien's latest photo shoot. While she would normally go weak at the knees looking at photos of Adrien, these photos had the opposite effect, and it was thanks to the model clinging onto him. None of these photos would be making it to her wall, and she was disappointed about it.

"Whoa, girl, did you just growl at those photos? What's the problem?" Alya asked, looking at her friend with wide eyes, and taking the magazine from Marinette to have a look. As soon as she saw the photos on the page, Alya smirked at her friend. "I think someone's a little jealous."

"Alya! Not so loud!" Marinette hissed, snatching the magazine and looking around the school courtyard to make sure that no one was staring at them. Fortunately, no one was looking their way, still occupied with their conversations or other activities. Marinette glared at her amused friend. "Maybe a little, but so what? You'd be upset if someone was getting touchy-feely with Ladybug too, wouldn't you?" Alya's smirk dropped, and she let out a sigh.

"That's not the same, Marinette! I don't have a crush on her, but you have a huge one on Adrien. Besides, if I did get upset about things like that, I don't think Cat Noir would be around anymore." Alya regained her smirk, and Marinette groaned, thinking about all the flirty gestures her partner made toward her.

"Okay, Alya, you made your point. Let's just drop it." Marinette replied, still annoyed about the photos. The bell rang, and Marinette headed to class, Alya chuckling at her friend's antics.

* * *

"Cat Noir? Can I ask you something?"

Cat Noir turned to his partner with a curious look on his face. Ladybug didn't usually ask him questions when they went out on patrol, preferring to get the job done quickly, and then maybe have a conversation before they went home, so this was a rare moment for him.

"What is it, Bugaboo?" Cat Noir asked, wondering what was on Ladybug's mind. From her pensive expression, it looked like it was serious.

"How do you handle your fans?" Ladybug asked, and Cat Noir thought back to the fans that got pushy with Ladybug the other day. He scowled for a second before wiping it off his face, thankful for the dark so that Ladybug wouldn't question him.

"I try to make them happy, of course! No one wants their hero to turn them down," Cat Noir replied, a smile on his face. "You're my exception, of course." Cat Noir winked, and Ladybug sighed.

"Cat Noir, this isn't the time to joke around," Ladybug said, and Cat Noir was taken aback at how serious her tone was. "What about when you're on limited time, like after an akuma attack? Because there were some guys that wanted my autograph, and I couldn't do that for them because I was about to detransform, and I feel bad about it." Cat Noir frowned. He didn't know that would be troubling to his lady.

"If you're about to detransform, I think it's okay to have to leave. We need to keep our identities secret, after all," Cat Noir replied, but he couldn't help himself. "And I want to be the first person to find out who you are behind the mask, so don't let it happen without me there, okay?"

"Cat Noir, please," Ladybug put a hand to her head, and he felt bad for his attempt to make light of it. "It's just, I was frozen on the spot, and someone else had to intervene just so I could leave. I know it sounds stupid, but I feel bad, and you're not helping by joking around."

"I'm sorry, my lady. I didn't mean to make you upset," Cat Noir frowned, putting a hand on Ladybug's arm, and she looked at him, allowing him to see her guilt in her bright blue eyes. "They were being pushy anyway, so you shouldn't feel bad about it. They can get your autograph some other time."

"Yeah, I guess you're right…" Ladybug replied, smiling at Cat Noir, when something flashed across her eyes and the smile dropped, making him concerned. "Wait, how did you know that they were being pushy?" Cat Noir panicked internally, he'd said too much! But then Ladybug laughed, and he looked at her, confused. "Don't tell me that you were still around, and you saw it. Did those guys make you jealous?"

"W-Well, I…" Cat Noir stalled, relief washing over him. That was a close call! He was sure that she'd make the connection, but it looks like he got lucky for once. He didn't want to reveal his identity to his lady by something as stupid as a slip up. He put on a smirk. "Sure was, my lady! The only guy you should be getting attention from is me! And as nice as Adrien Agreste was for helping you, even that is too much for this cat."

"Cat Noir, you know I can handle myself," Ladybug laughed, shoving him lightly, and Cat Noir was happy to see that she was feeling better about it. "But thank you for cheering me up. Now let's get this patrol done, alright?"

"Sounds _purr_ fect, my lady." Cat Noir answered, and with one last groan from Ladybug, they started their patrol of the city.

* * *

 **Looks like Marinette doesn't take people giving Adrien too much attention well, haha. And Adrien's about the same with Ladybug. Hope this was fun to read!**

 **-Green**


	9. It's A Trap

**Ah, this was an interesting one. I feel like I probably took a different direction with it, but I hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

 **It's A Trap**

Marinette finished up her maths homework, and after taking a few minutes to look over it to make sure that her answers looked right, she turned to Tikki, who was sitting on top of her computer screen.

"Finished my homework for tomorrow, so I'd say it's about time to go on patrol!" Marinette told her kwami, and Tikki nodded. "Tikki, spots on!" Marinette transformed into Ladybug, and opened the hatch above her head to get to the balcony. Closing it behind her, she instantly felt like something was off.

"Something doesn't feel right… Maybe there'll be some action tonight." Ladybug tried to dismiss the feeling, and launched off from her balcony, heading to she and Cat Noir's meeting place on top of Notre Dame. As usual, she was first to get there, and she sat down to wait for her feline partner to show.

Half an hour later, Ladybug was starting to get worried. Cat Noir hadn't shown up yet, which was very strange, since he usually showed up five minutes after her on most nights. She wondered if he was playing a prank on her, and she was determined not to let him have the last laugh.

"Cat Noir? If you're hiding, this isn't funny!" Ladybug called out into the night. Silence was her answer. Ladybug let out a sigh. "Looks like I'll have to come and find you, then!" Ladybug swung down to the street, and started her investigation. "Surely he would be nearby, since he'd want to keep an eye on me, probably so he can laugh at my searching."

Ladybug walked over to the church doors to see if he was possibly hiding inside when she saw that a note was attached to the door, her name written across the top in thick red letters. Thinking the worst, Ladybug dashed over and grabbed the note, only to find that the entire note was written in red marker, and Ladybug sighed in relief as her thoughts were laid to rest. Calmed, she scanned the note.

"'You're in for a surprise tonight, Ladybug. These clues will lead you to your final destination. First up, look for the place that talks about you the most.' A riddle, seriously?" Ladybug groaned. This was the last thing that she wanted to do tonight. All she wanted to do was patrol Paris like normal and spend the rest of her time before bed working on her designs. But it looked like this would have to be her priority tonight. "Hm, where am I talked about a lot…? School? No, that seems too simple… Oh, the TV station! Every time we make an appearance in Paris fighting akumas, we make the news!" Ladybug grabbed her yo-yo and started to head toward the TV station.

When she reached the TV station, as she expected, she found another note pinned to the door. She grabbed it and read. "'Your being all over the news must be tiring, right? When tourists have had their fill of this city for the day, where do they go?' Wow, these clues are really lame. This one's obviously the hotel. They'd return to their rooms and go to bed." Ladybug left the TV station and went over to the hotel. On her way there, Ladybug wondered who was making her go on a scavenger hunt all over Paris. Her first thought was Cat Noir, since he wasn't with her at the moment and hadn't seen her and joined her. She accepted that as the answer for the moment, and figured that he was either watching her go all over Paris or he would be waiting for her at the end.

Reaching the hotel, Ladybug was confused when there wasn't a note attached to the front door of the building. She wasn't wrong, was she?

"Maybe he placed it somewhere else…" Ladybug said to herself, and she walked around the hotel to see if she could spot anything from ground level. Finding nothing out of place, Ladybug started to scale the building, and that's when she found the open window leading into an unoccupied room. She entered the hotel and had to hold back a laugh at finding the note on the bed. "I guess he really did want me to find a bed." She picked up the note and read the next clue. "'I wonder how long it took you to figure out that you needed to enter a room to find this clue. You're smart, so probably not too long. Now go to the spot where you and that mangy cat like to look at us all as if we were ants.'"

Ladybug frowned as she read the note again. The clue was referencing the Eiffel Tower, that was easy to figure out, but the wording seemed to be different to the other notes. It seemed to be almost hostile. And the way it had called Cat Noir 'mangy'…

"He's annoying sometimes, but I wouldn't call him mangy. Does that mean that Cat Noir isn't the one leaving these notes?" Ladybug wondered, and her feeling from earlier returned. She felt apprehensive about following these notes now. They could lead to something dangerous. But she was Ladybug, and fighting danger was in the job description, so if this person could be a threat to Paris, she'd need to find out what was going on. Again Ladybug wished that Cat Noir was around, and she wondered what had happened to him. "I hope he didn't find these letters already and got himself into a bad situation." Feeling a bit panicky, Ladybug left the hotel room and swung to the Eiffel Tower as quickly as she could.

Following the note's directions, she went to the top of the tower and found the note there. "It can't be a civilian; they aren't able to come to the very top of the tower… An akuma? But why would they leave letters instead of causing chaos?" Ladybug questioned, and she shoved the thoughts to the back of her mind as she scanned the letter.

"'I bet you like it up here, Ladybug. Feeling like you can keep everyone safe. But if that were true, then why do so many akumas come from that building?' Where do most of the akumas come from?" Ladyubg thought for a few seconds of all the akuma victims, and there was a striking similarity between most of them. "The school! It's because of Chloe." Ladybug scowled as she thought of the blonde rich girl. Wasting no time, Ladybug headed straight to the school. There was no note on the front doors, so Ladybug looked for an alternative to get into the school to find it. She noticed that a window was open, and found herself in her normal classroom. She was about to exit the room and look when she noticed the piece of paper on the whiteboard.

"There it is! But how do they know that our class is the one most affected?" Ladybug frowned. Maybe they know that Chloe's in the class, Ladybug thought as she grabbed the note. "'One last place, Ladybug, and then we can confront one another. Head to the park near the Agreste mansion.' Wow, this one gave me the answer." Ladybug suddenly felt nervous. She had no idea what she was going up against, so she didn't have a plan to beat this opponent. Ladybug left the classroom and was about to zip to the park when she had an idea. "They probably won't expect me to come stealthily, so I won't fly in." Idea forming, Ladybug walked toward the park, looking around to make sure she wouldn't suddenly be attacked.

Once she made it to the park, Ladybug hid behind the gates, looking in to see if she could see anything, and she noticed someone standing in the middle of the park. However, it was too dark and she was too far away to make out who it was, other than that they had blonde hair. Ladybug got closer and closer, and when she could see who it was, she groaned. She came out of hiding and walked over to the person, who turned out to be…

"My lady, you made it!" Cat Noir waved, grinning. Ladybug was not amused.

"Cat Noir, what were you thinking?!" Ladybug exclaimed, and the grin was wiped off his face. "I thought it was an akuma! And even worse, I thought that something might have happened to you!" That was the wrong thing to say, because Cat Noir's grin came back, wider than ever.

"Aww, were you worried about me, my lady? I'm touched," Cat Noir said, and as Ladybug was about to retort, he held up a clawed hand. "Since you're here, don't you want to know why I led you on a cat and mouse chase around Paris?" Ladybug's response died on her lips, and Cat Noir took that as the time to explain. "It was a fun way to do your patrol! And even more importantly, someone wanted to hang out with you, but was too shy to come to you, so I helped out."

"Someone wants to see me?" Ladybug asked, forgetting her anger. She supposed that that could count as her patrolling being done.

"Yeah, and he seems to be a pretty big fan!" Cat Noir replied. "I'll take my leave, my lady, and allow him time to talk to you." Cat Noir grabbed her hand and planted a kiss on the back of it before she could move, and suddenly he was out of sight. Ladybug sighed, holding her hand as if it was injured.

"Silly cat…" Ladybug muttered, crossing her arms and waiting for this fan of hers to show up. Soon enough, Ladybug could see a person enter the park and head over to her, and Ladybug was stunned when they got close enough for her to realise who it was.

"Hello," Adrien greeted her, and Ladybug could only stare. "Cat Noir told me that you would be here. I asked him to help me out with seeing you, and I hope he didn't cause you too much trouble."

"No, no trouble at all!" Ladybug lied, chuckling to cover up her thoughts about having a long chat with that cat from showing on her face. "So, uh, why did you want to see me?" Adrien rubbed the back of his head nervously, cheeks pink, and Ladybug couldn't help but think how cute he looked.

"Well, actually, I prepared something…" Adrien offered his hand, and Ladybug took it, face heating up when she felt how warm his hand was. He led her over to a blanket with a basket sitting in the middle. "How would you feel about having a picnic with me?"

"A-A picnic? That sounds nice, I'd like that." Ladybug answered, and the two sat down on the blanket, facing each other, and Ladybug took in the nervous smile he had on his face that probably reflected her own. This almost felt like a date, and it made butterflies fly around in her stomach. "So Cat Noir did all this for you? You must know him well for him to put in the effort for you."

"O-Oh, yeah, he and I are pretty good friends, I guess," Adrien smiled, and it seemed that Ladybug could read some sort of amusement on his face, and also from the twinkle in his eyes. She wondered what he was thinking about. He reached into the basket and produced some sandwiches. "Here you are, I hope you're feeling hungry."

"Thank you, Adrien." Ladybug took the offered sandwich and took a bite. The two spent about an hour eating and talking, and Ladybug thought that the worry that she had felt before was worth it, since she had gotten to spend time with her crush, even if she had the mask on.

* * *

 **It was a trap, alright. A trap to have her go on a date with him. Not that she minds, of course. :P**

 **-Green**


	10. Insecurities

**This one's a little bit angsty, given the subject, but I hope you enjoy regardless!**

* * *

 **Insecurities**

"Hey, did you guys want to hang out? We could get something to eat." Alya asked the two boys in front of her. Class had just finished, and Alya posed the question after discussing it a little with Marinette. The four had become close friends and were hardly ever seen apart at school, and would hang out after school when everyone was free. Marinette was even able to speak to Adrien without stuttering, but she still hadn't been able to tell him about her crush on him, and he hadn't noticed anything.

"I'm down! I'd never pass up an opportunity to hang out, especially with my awesome girlfriend!" Nino answered right away, and while Alya was teasing Nino, Marinette was looking at Adrien to see what he would say. She deflated when a frown crossed his face and his eyes looked to the side, head drooping slightly.

"Sorry, guys, but I can't hang out today." Adrien said, and they looked at him sadly.

"You busy with something?" Alya asked, and Adrien looked at her, and Marinette felt her heart pang at the sad look in his green eyes.

"Yeah, I missed a Chinese lesson because of the latest akuma attack, so it was rescheduled to today," Adrien answered, looking down again. "I'm really sorry. I want to, but I can't ignore what my father wants for me."

"It's okay, Adrien. There's always next time." Marinette offered a smile, and Adrien looked to her, but didn't return the smile, sighing instead and grabbing his bag.

"Yeah, I know. But who knows when that will be? I'm always messing up your plans, and you must get annoyed with me," Adrien replied sharply, and Marinette was taken aback. A quick glance revealed that Alya and Nino were feeling the same. "I have to go now, or I'll be late. Have fun, you guys." Adrien slung his bag over his shoulder and trudged out of the classroom, and the three watched him go before looking at each other, sharing looks of concern.

"Well, that was strange. Adrien doesn't usually get that upset about missing out on hanging out." Alya commented, eyebrow raised in thought.

"Yeah, I know. Dude looked real bummed. His dad must be on his case more than usual." Nino agreed, a frown on his face.

"If only we could help him…" Marinette added to the conversation, but her mind was on Adrien, wondering if there was anything she could do.

"Well, I guess there's nothing we can do right now, since he's busy and all. Hopefully he'll be feeling better tomorrow," Alya said, and Marinette and Nino nodded. "Now let's go eat!"

The friends walked out of the classroom, heading to one of their favourite places to eat. However, Marinette wasn't as into it as Alya and Nino were, so while they talked, she was lost in thought, thinking about Adrien's situation. Both of them knowing about her crush on Adrien, and knowing that she was really worried about him, they let her be, only interrupting her thinking occasionally.

* * *

When Marinette got home, she still wasn't sure how she could help Adrien feel better. In her room, she opened up her purse and Tikki flew out, looking at her charge worriedly.

"Tikki, I don't know what to do… Adrien looked so sad, and he sounded so upset that he keeps missing out." Marinette vented, flopping down in the chair at her desk, looking at the montage of Adrien that she'd created. He was so kind and good, but he had so many expectations placed upon him by his father that she wasn't sure how he hadn't snapped before now.

"Oh, Marinette. Maybe Adrien needs someone to talk to about it?" Tikki suggested, and Marinette sighed.

"I thought about that, but I don't think he'd go for it," Marinette replied. "He already feels bad enough as it is, so I think that he'd feel like he was placing his problems on us, which isn't true, of course. We all understand that he has all these responsibilities and that he has no room to argue about it."

"What if someone other than his friends paid him a visit and offered an ear?" Tikki suggested with a wink, and Marinette's eyes lit up.

"You'd really let me be Ladybug for this?" Marinette asked, and Tikki nodded, and Marinette hugged her kwami to her face. "Oh, thank you, Tikki! I'm sure he'd talk to Ladybug about it."

"Then what are you waiting for? Let's go!" Tikki exclaimed, and Marinette nodded, letting go of her kwami with a giggle.

"Tikki, spots on!" Marinette said, and once she was Ladybug, she zipped off her balcony and headed for the Agreste mansion. She landed on the roof adjacent to the mansion, and looked inside to see Adrien sitting at his computer. The windows were all shut, so Ladybug wrapped her yo-yo around an ornament on the roof and dropped down to the window level and knocked. Adrien turned around, and his eyes widened when he saw Ladybug there, who waved at him with a smile. He rushed over and opened the window, and Ladybug jumped into the room.

"Ladybug! What are you doing here?" Adrien asked, confused.

"I'm here because, uh…" Ladybug trailed off because she hadn't thought of an appropriate excuse to come visit him as Ladybug. She sighed and decided to tell the truth. "I heard that you were feeling down and wanted to come cheer you up." Well, mostly the truth.

"Really? Where did you hear that?" Adrien asked, crossing his arms and looking at her with an expression that she couldn't read well. It looked like a mixture of sad and happy.

"I happened to be in the same place where your friends were, and I heard them talk about your situation," Ladybug told him, since she obviously couldn't say that she was Marinette and she was really worried about him. "Do you want to talk about it? It can't be healthy to keep it all bottled up."

"I don't know how to…" Adrien sighed, flopping onto his couch, and Ladybug took a seat next to him, putting a supporting hand on his shoulder to show that she was listening. "It's just, I want to spend time with my friends like a normal teenager, but my father pretty much plans my life out for me, which means that I don't get much of a chance to be with them outside of school, and it makes me feel really bad."

"I'm sure they understand that you're busy, Adrien. They know that you'd hang out with them if you were available." Ladybug said, and Adrien sighed in frustration.

"I know that! But I almost never have time for them, even when they try to work around my schedule!" Adrien raised his voice, standing up and facing Ladybug. "Maybe they'd be better off if they just forgot about me…" Ladybug was stunned, not knowing what to say. After a minute of complete silence, except for Adrien's slightly heavy breathing, he spoke again. "I'm sorry, Ladybug. I'm trying so hard to live up to my father's expectations and it means that I can't be a good friend, but I can't let them know that it makes me feel like this. I don't want them to worry about me."

"Oh, Adrien…" Ladybug stood up and embraced Adrien, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding the back of his head, pulling him close. He stiffened at first, but she could feel him relax and wrap his arms around her waist, burying his face into her shoulder. He shook, and soon he was sobbing, and she started to ruffle his hair soothingly, encouraging him to let it out wordlessly.

When he finally pulled away from her, she looked at him and her heart almost broke when she saw the pain in his watery eyes, making his green eyes sparkle like emeralds. He sniffed and wiped at his eyes to remove the lingering moisture.

"I'm sorry you had to see all that…" Adrien said, and Ladybug shook her head, offering him a smile.

"It's fine, Adrien. It's a lot better to let it out than to keep it all bottled up. I won't tell you to tell your friends right away, but when you're ready, I'm sure they'll understand," Ladybug told him, putting her hands on his shoulders. "You don't have to suffer through this alone, as much as your father seems to believe you need to. Friends look out for each other, and they won't judge you for it."

"Thanks, Ladybug. I feel a bit better after all that," Adrien managed a smile, putting a hand on top of one of hers. "I don't know how you do it, though. I'm sure you're busy with your civilian life and everything, and yet you seem to handle yourself so well as Ladybug." Ladybug let her hands drop to her sides, and so did Adrien's hand.

"I guess I'm used to balancing both sides of me, now, but it's not as easy as you make it sound." Ladybug chuckled without humour, thinking about the akuma attacks that she'd dealt with, and all the close calls that had happened.

"Really? When you're in battle, you look so confident and determined to protect Paris that I can't help but feel safe. Sometimes it looks like you don't even need Cat Noir." Adrien said, frowning a little as if thinking about something else.

"Don't even say that! Cat Noir's just as important as me, and I wouldn't do it without him," Ladybug hesitated before adding, "I… don't think I could do it without him."

"What do you mean?" Adrien asked with a confused expression.

"What I mean is I wouldn't have been able to handle most of the akumas without Cat Noir fighting alongside me. We have our own individual strengths, and we complement each other well," Ladybug explained, and she looked down as another thought occurred. "And you wouldn't think it, but being Ladybug can be lonely at times. No one can know who I am under the mask, because I don't want to put anyone in danger, so I can't talk to anyone about everything happening around me. Except for him."

"You can talk to Cat Noir about it, huh?" Adrien asked, and he had a smile on his face that Ladybug didn't understand.

"Yeah, because he's in the same situation as me. We're tasked with protecting Paris together, and we can talk about anything on our minds, as long as it doesn't reveal our identities. He's not just my crime-fighting partner, but my best friend that I trust with my life." Ladybug answered, smiling. She was grateful to have Cat Noir as a partner and friend. Maybe one day she could even tell him who she is.

"That sounds really nice, to have someone that you can trust with anything." Adrien commented, his smile genuine and Ladybug was glad to see how happy he was.

"It is, and I'm sure that if you let your friends know about your issues, they'll make sure you feel loved." Ladybug told him, and Adrien nodded.

"I'll try to tell them, I promise." Adrien said, and Ladybug smiled.

"That's all I ask," Ladybug replied, patting him on the shoulder supportively. "I think it's time for me to go, but I can visit again soon?"

"I'd like that, Ladybug." Adrien said. Ladybug smiled at him one last time before she left, waving at him as his house got further away. Ladybug landed on her balcony and detransformed, and Marinette smiled at Tikki as they went inside.

"I think I really helped, Tikki! He seemed really happy when we were leaving," Marinette grinned, but it faded as she recalled how upset he had been initially. "Now I need to show him that I'm here for him as Marinette, too." Marinette looked inside her purse and gave Tikki a cookie as thanks, which she took graciously.

The next day at school, Marinette and Alya were waiting at the front entrance, waiting for Adrien and Nino to show up so that they could walk to class together. Nino showed up soon enough, and with about five minutes to spare, Adrien's car pulled up and he stepped out. When he saw everyone waving at him, he hesitated, but soon walked over, a serious expression on his face.

"Hey guys! I have something that I should tell you." Adrien said, and Marinette's heart started racing. He was taking Ladybug's advice and was going to tell them! She felt warm inside, and smiled.

"What is it, bro? How are you feeling after yesterday?" Nino asked, concerned. Adrien smiled and put a hand on Nino's shoulder.

"I'm feeling better, Nino. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you guys that…"

* * *

 **Poor Adrien just wants to be a normal teenager :(**

 **If you want some more angsty chapters, leave a review and let me know!**

 **-Green**


	11. Jealous Fangirlsboys

**I know just the fan to have be jealous of these two... Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Jealous Fangirls/boys**

Ladybug left her balcony and swung her way over to the Agreste mansion. It was 6:30pm right now, and she didn't want to be late.

It was strange to think about. Ladybug and Cat Noir had defeated another akuma, and after their usual celebration, Cat Noir left quickly, not even flirting with her, and all of a sudden Adrien was approaching her and asking her on a date. Needless to say, Ladybug was ecstatic. When she had gotten home, Marinette had squealed and ranted to Tikki for two hours about how happy she was, and then she spent another hour panicking about how wrong it could go. Tikki had reassured her, and then Marinette had the whole weekend to prepare for the date.

Ladybug landed at the front gate of the mansion, since she wanted to be proper, and rang the doorbell. The eye camera, which still freaked Ladybug out, activated and looked at her.

"Hi! I have a date with Adrien, and he asked me to be here to leave at seven." Ladybug stated, showing a clothes bag which contained her dress and the other accessories that she wanted to wear tonight. She didn't want to ruin anything swinging through Paris, so she planned to get ready in the mansion. She had done her makeup at home, so she didn't have to take so long to prepare for the date. Adrien was taking her to the Le Grand Paris hotel, so she couldn't just go in her normal outfit, and she couldn't go as Marinette because Adrien didn't know her identity.

The eye camera retracted and the gates opened, and Ladybug walked through to the front doors, which were opened for her.

"Could I be led to a bathroom so that I can get ready?" Ladybug asked one of the butlers, and he nodded and led her down a hall to a large bathroom.

"I will inform Mr. Agreste that you're here so that he can be ready for you." The butler said, and Ladybug thanked him before closing the door. Immediately, Ladybug went in front of the mirror and started getting ready. When she was done, she was wearing a red and black dress that went down to her knees and red shoes with a small heel. She had put her hair down as well, and it came down to her shoulders. She felt silly about the mask, but she couldn't exactly remove it, so it would have to do. Satisfied, Ladybug grabbed the dress bag and exited the bathroom, where a maid was waiting for her.

"I can take your bag for you, and lead you to Mr. Agreste." The maid informed her, and Ladybug handed the bag and followed the maid back to the main hall. Adrien was there, sitting on one of the chairs off to the side. He was wearing a black suit with a white dress shirt and a green tie, and black dress shoes. Ladybug couldn't help but stare, finding him able to wear a suit extremely well, and her face heated up. Maybe he should do a shoot for formal wear. He stood up upon noticing her arrival, and Ladybug noticed that his cheeks were slightly pink, and she tried not to giggle at his wide eyes scanning her as he took in her appearance, much like she had with him.

"Wow, you look amazing," Adrien said, and Ladybug blushed, thanking him for the compliment and returning one of her own. He smiled and offered her his hand. "Shall we go?" Ladybug gladly took his hand and let him lead her back outside, where a limo was parked, ready to drive them to the hotel. Adrien's driver opened the door for them, and Adrien helped Ladybug inside first before he slid in after her, the door shutting behind him. Ladybug looked around the interior of the limo in awe as the limo took off. She had never been in a limousine before, so it was a new experience for her. "Oh, you've never been in a limo before? It's very nice, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is," Ladybug agreed, feeling the plush seats and looking at the spacious interior. "It must be nice, going around Paris so comfortably."

"I guess, but it's also quite lonely. I'm usually alone, except for when Nathalie accompanies me, but even then, that's rare." Adrien replied with a sad smile, and Ladybug felt sorry for him. She knew that he wasn't showed much affection, so this must be a nice change for him. "Well, we're here, so let's enjoy ourselves, okay?" Ladybug looked out the window and saw that they had pulled up at the hotel. The door opened, and Adrien got out, assisting Ladybug in getting out as well. They entered the hotel and entered the restaurant.

"Table for two, booked under Adrien Agreste." Adrien told the receptionist, who was stunned by the two celebrities standing right in front of her. She snapped out of it, and showed them to their table. Ladybug felt eyes on her, and she became slightly self-conscious, waving to some onlookers. They took their seats at the table, Adrien pushing her chair in before taking his own, and picked up their menus.

"Any idea what you want to order?" Adrien asked, looking up at Ladybug. Ladybug scanned the menu until something caught her eye, and she smiled.

"I think I know just the dish." Ladybug replied, and Adrien nodded, returning to looking at his menu. Soon, a waiter came over and asked to take their orders.

"Could I get the Marinette Soup, please?" Ladybug ordered, excited to try her uncle's soup again, even if it would be made by different hands. She wondered how they would differ.

"I'll have the same, please." Adrien added, winking at Ladybug. Ladybug blushed a little, but tried not to react.

"Certainly. Your meal will be here shortly." The waiter told them, leaving to the kitchen. Ladybug turned back to Adrien, who had a smile on his face, and she raised an eyebrow.

"I was thinking about the first time I got to try the soup," Adrien explained. "I was with its namesake, Marinette, when her uncle came to Paris and made it. It was really good, and you ordering it made me want to try it again." Ladybug blushed. Adrien enjoyed the soup that much? Her uncle would be delighted to hear that.

"I've heard good things about it, but I haven't had an opportunity to try it before, so I'm excited to taste it." Ladybug told him. As far as he knew, she hadn't had it before, and saying that she knew it well could look suspicious.

"I'm sure you'll enjoy it. It probably won't taste the same as Marinette's uncle's, but it will still be good. This restaurant has really good dishes." Adrien told her, and Ladybug nodded. She'd tried some of Alya's mum's cooking before, and she could see how she came to be the head chef of Le Grand Paris.

They fell into a comfortable silence while they waited for the soup to arrive, so Ladybug took to looking around the restaurant. Most people were occupied with their food or company, but she could see a few people looking their way, stunned or awestruck expressions on their faces. Ladybug was surprised that no one had come over to try and get their autograph yet.

Almost as if thinking about it caused it to happen, Ladybug's thoughts were interrupted by a squeal, and she along with almost the whole restaurant turned to see Chloe Bourgeois standing by the doors, hands on her cheeks and mouth open in an excited and shocked expression. Ladybug internally groaned as the girl ran over to their table, and she looked internally torn about whether she should speak to Adrien or her first. It figured that Chloe would somehow learn that they were there and interrupt them; she did live here, after all.

"Ladybug! Adrikins! Hi!" Chloe exclaimed, putting an arm around both of them, and pulling them toward her in a very awkward hug. Ladybug and Adrien exchanged annoyed glances, which disappeared when Chloe let them go, replaced by fake smiles.

"Hey Chloe, what are you doing here?" Adrien asked, and Chloe put on a frown that Ladybug could tell was faked. After knowing the girl for so long, Ladybug could tell when Chloe was doing things for attention or sympathy or if she was being genuine, the former being the norm.

"How silly! Did you really think that I wouldn't hear about my two favourite people in Paris being in Daddy's hotel? And I didn't expect you to be here together!" Chloe squealed, and Ladybug was sure that she'd have a headache if she kept it up much longer. "What are you doing together, by the way? You never told me you knew Ladybug, Adrikins."

"We're on a date, and we'd like to get back to it, thanks." Ladybug told her bluntly, and Chloe looked at her in confusion.

"You're on a date with my Adrikins? And you," Chloe turned to Adrien, looking hurt. "You're on a date with my favourite superhero, and you didn't think to tell me?!"

"Well, it was only yesterday that I asked her." Adrien admitted, chuckling and rubbing the back of his neck.

"I… I don't know what to think. I feel so betrayed!" Chloe sighed dramatically, and Ladybug rolled her eyes when she was sure Chloe wasn't looking, but Adrien did, and he held in a laugh. "I know! What if I stayed here with both of you? That way I won't have to choose!" Ladybug and Adrien stared at each other in horror. Neither of them wanted Chloe around on their date. Ladybug could see that Adrien, the most patient person toward Chloe that she'd ever met, was starting to reach his limit.

"Actually, Chloe, I'd rather it just be the two of us, if that's okay? I can catch up with you at school." Adrien suggested, and Chloe gasped, putting on an offended look.

"I can't believe you would say that to me, Adrikins!" Chloe frowned, and at that moment, the waiter came back with their soup and placed the bowls in front of them. Chloe stared in horror.

"Thank you!" Adrien told the waiter with a nod, and the waiter left. Adrien turned to Chloe. "I think Ladybug and I would like to eat now. Would you mind?"

"Hmph, fine. I'll leave you two alone, but only because you're going to be eating that disgusting soup, and I don't want to watch that." Chloe stormed off, muttering how ridiculous the situation was. Ladybug and Adrien waited until she was out of earshot before laughing.

"I'm sorry about that. She can be a little unbearable at time." Adrien apologised, and Ladybug shook her head.

"It's okay, Adrien. I know what she's like, with how often Cat Noir and I have to protect her from akumas," Ladybug chuckled, and she took a mouthful of soup. "This really is as good as you said!" Adrien had some of the soup, too, and nodded appreciatively.

"Yeah, it is! It can't beat Cheng shifu's recipe, but it's still really good!" Adrien replied, and Ladybug smiled. "How about we forget that that incident ever happened, and just enjoy our date?"

"Sounds good to me." Ladybug replied, and they started to eat the soup, chatting between mouthfuls and having a laugh about Chloe every now and then.

* * *

 **I figured Chloe would be the perfect fan to have be jealous, especially since she's a big fan of both, so it was fun having her being torn between the two, and a little Chloe bashing is always fun, right? :P**

 **As always, leave a review if you enjoyed or if you have any suggestions! :)**

 **-Green**


	12. You Have Her Smile

**Apologies for the lack of an update yesterday! I had some assignments that I needed to finish up for university, so that had to come first, and then it took me a while to get back into the swing of things. And now I'm even more behind on the prompts, heh...**

 **Anyway, prepare your feelings for this one, it's gonna get sad. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **You Have Her Smile**

Today was Mother's Day, which meant that mothers all over Paris would be receiving presents from their husbands and kids, and was generally just a happy day for everyone. However, things weren't like that in the Agreste household.

Mother's Day was the one day that Adrien had the whole day off, mostly because his father was too busy not appearing to organise everything for him. Adrien also thought that maybe this was his way of being kind to him, but Adrien pushed that thought aside quickly with a sigh.

As it was, Adrien was enjoying his freedom by sitting in the park, watching silently as children played in front of him, their parents smiling as they watched. Adrien could only wish that he was able to spend quality time with his parents, and he let out a sigh as he tried to keep his mind off his own problems and focus on their happiness, as if he would be able to soak it up.

"Adrien?" Adrien turned at the sound of the voice, and he could see Marinette standing at the entrance of the park leading toward her parents' bakery and the school. Adrien stood up and walked over, hands in his pockets and trying not to let Marinette see how he was feeling. "What are you doing here all alone?"

"I don't have anything on today, so I thought it would be nice to get some sunshine," Adrien lied, putting on a smile for Marinette, whose frown only got bigger, and in that moment, Adrien felt as if she could see right through him with her piercing blue eyes. "How about you? Having a nice day?"

"Y-Yeah! I-I'm having a good day!" Marinette stuttered, and Adrien wondered what had changed between now and five seconds ago, when she was able to call out to him with such confidence. "Um, if you wanted, y-you could come over, but only if you want!" Adrien gave her his first genuine smile of the day at hearing her offer.

"That would be really nice, Marinette. I'd love to come over." Adrien told her, and Marinette beamed at him, turning around and heading back to the bakery, looking over her shoulder to make sure that Adrien was following. Adrien nodded at her, and she turned back, quickening her pace.

They entered the bakery, the bell on the door chiming as the door let them in, closing behind them, and Adrien was enveloped in a warm and happy atmosphere, the smell of freshly-baked bread wafting in from the kitchen, and Adrien let it all soak in. His home would never feel like this, and he suddenly felt like he wanted to come to the Dupain-Cheng bakery more often, even if his father would disapprove.

"Mama, I brought Adrien with me! I hope that's okay." Marinette told her mother, who was standing at the counter. Adrien waved to her when she looked his way, and she smiled at him.

"Hello, Adrien! It's nice to have you over again," Sabine said, and Adrien nodded politely. "Marinette says she saw you in the park by yourself. Why weren't you at home?"

"Oh, I just wanted some fresh air, and I had the day off, so I wanted to go to the park for a while." Adrien told her, relaying what he had told Marinette, and Sabine nodded in understanding.

"I see. I'm just about to make lunch, would you like to stay for that?" Sabine asked, and Adrien was surprised. He'd only just come in, and he was already being asked if he'd like to stay for a while? It was a really nice feeling.

"Yes, that would be really nice, thank you, Mrs. Dupain-Cheng!" Adrien answered, and he noticed that Marinette was smiling as well, probably happy that he wouldn't be by himself. Maybe he could forget his troubles with some good company.

"You can just call me Sabine, Adrien," Sabine told him. "Now, while I make lunch, why don't you two go upstairs and set the table? After that you can relax before lunch."

"Okay, Mama! Come on, Adrien." Marinette said, giving her mother a kiss on the cheek and moving to the staircase. Adrien couldn't help but feel a little saddened at the display, since he was unable to do the same for his mother. As he passed Sabine on his way to the staircase, he had an urge to replicate the gesture he'd just seen, but he resisted, knowing that it wasn't his place.

"Happy Mother's Day," Adrien said quietly instead, and he didn't see the surprise on Sabine's face as he walked up the stairs to help Marinette with the table, nor the sad smile that she adopted as she made to follow them.

* * *

Adrien sat down at the circular table, looking hungrily at the food in front of him. On his right side, he could see Marinette smiling at him, and he turned to return the smile to her. Marinette's father Tom was sitting across from him and Sabine was sitting on his left, and she was currently serving up lunch, which was spaghetti with some croissants on the side. As soon as everyone had received their serving, Adrien dug in, eating as if he hadn't eaten in days, which, with the small portions he was usually served, it sometimes felt like it.

"This is really good!" Adrien complimented, not noticing that everyone else at the table was staring at him as he wolfed it down. When he finally became self-conscious about the stares, they started to eat as well, and Adrien wondered what was up. He looked at Marinette, who wouldn't meet his eyes, instead looking down as she ate. He wondered if she was upset at the way he was eating, and he frowned, slowing down.

"I'm glad you think so!" Sabine drew his attention, looking at him with a warm smile. "You're more than welcome to have seconds if you want them." Adrien's eyes widened and a smile graced his face.

"I'll definitely take you up on that offer! This is really nice, and I don't usually get to have home-cooked meals at home." Adrien replied, filling his bowl with more spaghetti after he'd finished. Nathalie would probably throw a fit when she found out how much he'd eaten, but at that moment, he didn't really care.

"You should come over more, then. Growing boys like you need to eat!" Sabine told him, and something about that comment struck a chord in Adrien. He nodded sullenly, and returned to eating. The table was silent for a few moments, until Marinette's father spoke up.

"So, Adrien, how's school going for you? Marinette tells me that you only entered public school this year, so it must be different for you." He asked, and Adrien was caught off-guard. His father would never care enough to ask how school was going; he would only expect Adrien to be excelling.

"Papa!" Marinette hissed, shooting her father a look, and Adrien almost laughed at how irritated she looked.

"School's great. It's really nice to be out of the house and be around people my age, and learning in a classroom is much nicer than being cooped up at home." Adrien replied, and he didn't miss the looks that he got from Marinette and her parents as they took in what he said. Adrien wished that they wouldn't look at him like that. It made him feel like he was complaining and he didn't want to ruin the atmosphere with his problems.

"That's great to hear, Adrien! I'm sure your parents are very proud of you." Tom said, and Marinette instantly turned to face Adrien, eyes wide, witnessing his body stiffen and his hand freeze from where he was about to put some more spaghetti into his mouth. Adrien let his fork drop out of his hand, and Marinette's family could only stare in shock as he stood up quickly.

"Yeah… I'm sure they're really proud of me," Adrien said, his tone flat. Marinette reached out a hand, but Adrien took a step back, almost tripping over his chair. "No, it's fine, Marinette. My father is barely around to let me know what he thinks of me, and my mother… My m-mother…"

"Adrien, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset you." Tom apologised, and Adrien waved him off.

"No, it's okay, really. I shouldn't have pretended that I don't have a dysfunctional family. I'm the one that should be sorry," Adrien looked at them, and they could see that his eyes were filled with unshed tears. "I didn't mean to ruin things for you. I'll go now." Adrien turned around and walked down the stairs to the bakery, and he finally let the tears go as he descended the stairs. He wasn't in the clear yet, and he held in a sob when he heard someone run after him.

"Marinette, it's okay," Adrien stopped in front of the doors to the bakery, not turning around, and she stopped in her tracks. "Don't let me put you down. Your house is really nice, and it's just so much better than mine. I was trying to distract myself from my own situation, and I used your kindness. I'm sorry."

"Adrien…" Marinette said softly, and Adrien turned to look at her, and his heart panged when he saw that her own eyes were filled with tears. He didn't want to burden her with his problems, and yet it looked like he had.

"I'll see you at school, okay? I'll be fine, I promise." Adrien grimaced, and he walked out of the bakery. When the doors closed behind him, he let out the sob he'd been holding in, and he ran all the way home, not wanting anyone to see him in his current state.

* * *

He was not fine.

Adrien was on his bed, face down into his pillow, crying his heart out, sobs wracking his body. Plagg was next to his head, a concerned look on his face, but the kwami had no idea how to help him. Eventually, Adrien turned his head to face Plagg, eyes red and looking like a mess.

"I miss her so much, Plagg… I didn't know it could still hurt this badly…" Adrien said softly, tears still escaping his eyes. He got off the bed and went to his computer screen, and when he activated it, his mother's smiling face stared back at him. He sobbed at it, and put his head in his hands. "I miss you, Mum… Please, come back…" Adrien was suddenly alerted when he heard a scrambling sound, and he saw Plagg fly behind his pillow. He was about to question his kwami when he heard a knock come from behind him, and he looked at his windows and was shocked when he saw Ladybug there, a concerned look on her face. Adrien sighed; he was definitely not in the mood for company, not even from Ladybug, the superheroine of Paris and his crush. He went over to the window and opened it, and Ladybug landed on the sill, retracting her yo-yo.

"What are you doing here, Ladybug? Now isn't the best time…" Adrien told her, and her frown grew larger and her eyes narrowed in concern.

"It looks like now is the right time." Ladybug said, jumping down into his room and embracing him, wrapping her arms around his torso and holding him close. Adrien lost his composure and wrapped his own arms around her, crying into her shoulder. "It's going to be alright, Adrien… Just let it all out, I'm here for you." She said soothingly, and Adrien cried harder, the gesture and words reminding him of how a mother would comfort her distressed child.

After what felt like a long time, Adrien's sobbing finally died down. Even then, Ladybug continued to hold him and remind him that she was there for him.

"I miss her so much…" Adrien sniffed, and Ladybug's embrace tightened. "I just don't understand. Why did she leave? Everything changed after she left, and I just want her to come back…" Ladybug let him go, and pulled away to look at him, putting her hands on Adrien's shoulders as she stared at him with a serious look.

"I won't claim to know what you're going through, since I have no idea what it's like to lose a parent, but I will say that she would want you to be happy," Ladybug said, and Adrien stayed silent, staring into Ladybug's bluebell eyes. "So, instead of crying over her not being here, how about we try to focus on some happy memories? I'll stay as long as you want me to, and I'd be more than happy to hear about your mother." Ladybug smiled at him, and in that moment, Adrien could see his mother's smile staring back at him. He wiped his eyes and tried to smile at her.

"Okay, Ladybug," Adrien replied, taking a seat on the couch and taking out his phone, and Ladybug sat close to him so that she could look. He pulled up his gallery with photos of his mother, and he started showing Ladybug pictures of her. They spent the entire afternoon like that, Adrien telling Ladybug about the times immortalised in those photos.

When evening fell, Adrien and Ladybug were laughing as Adrien recalled a fun memory from his past. When their laughter died down, Adrien found himself staring at Ladybug and her beautiful smile, his cheeks turning pink.

"You really do have her smile, you know?" Adrien told her, and Ladybug turned to him, her smile faltering for a second.

"I remember you saying that when Simon Says was a problem. Do you really think I do?" Ladybug asked, and Adrien stood up and went over to his computer. As Ladybug came over, he activated his screen, and his mother's smiling face came up on the screen, and Adrien turned to look at her, the same smile mirrored on his own face.

"Yeah, I really think you do."

* * *

 **Well. I'm fairly certain that this was supposed to be a happy/romantic prompt, but I found it to be a really good angst prompt. Poor Adrien's family seems to have fallen apart after his mother's disappearance, and I wanted to focus on how it would affect him, especially on a day celebrating mothers.**

 **I hope you enjoyed this angsty chapter, and the next one should definitely be more upbeat! :)**

 **-Green**


	13. Gabriel (Hawk Moth's) Reaction

**Ah yes, the prompt that uses the theory that Gabriel is Hawk Moth, or at least I chose to use it. He's who I feel is Hawk Moth, and I'm looking forward to seeing if it's right in the show! It seems so obvious, so it might all just be a huge red herring, but who knows? Anyway, on with the story!**

* * *

 **Gabriel/Hawk Moth's Reaction**

Adrien and Ladybug were leaving the park, walking to the Agreste mansion. Both had nervous looks on their faces, Adrien even more so. He didn't feel like he was ready for what was about to occur.

Adrien had called Ladybug out to the park, and when she arrived, they had talked for a while, Adrien avoiding the reason for calling her there, until he had suddenly blurted out that he loved her. After a few moments of awkward silence, where Adrien was sure he was going to be turned down, Ladybug had actually revealed that she had feelings for him as well, and when he asked if she would be his girlfriend, she had accepted, and they hugged.

They were happy until they realised that they should tell their parents about their new relationship. Obviously Ladybug couldn't tell her parents and have Adrien around without revealing her identity, but Adrien could bring Ladybug when he told his father. Adrien decided to get it over and done with as quickly as possible, so he asked if Ladybug could come today, and she had agreed.

That's why they were nervous; because they were about to tell Adrien's father that they were dating, and both were very intimidated by the prospect.

"Hey, are you okay? We don't have to do this right now if you're not ready." Ladybug asked, and Adrien turned to meet her concerned gaze. He figured that he must have paled a lot if she was able to notice that he was nervous.

"No, the sooner I tell him, the better. I don't want to think about how angry he might get if I tried to hide it from him and he found out on his own," Adrien replied, giving Ladybug a shaky smile. "It's a shame that I can't meet your parents, I'm sure they're very nice. But I respect that you're not ready to reveal your identity just yet."

"I'm sorry about that, but I'm hesitant to put you or my family in danger if Hawk Moth somehow finds out who I am behind the mask. I'll tell you when I feel it would be safe," Ladybug smiled, reaching out and taking Adrien's hand, giving it a supportive squeeze. "But when that time comes, I know my parents will love you." Ladybug looked away with a knowing smile, and Adrien tried not to think too hard about what it could mean.

Sooner than he realised, they were in front of the gates to the mansion, and Adrien gulped. Ladybug squeezed his hand again and smiled at him, and Adrien pushed the doorbell. The camera came out, and Adrien waved at it. It retracted immediately and the gates opened to allow them access. When they made it to the front doors, Adrien hesitated, but after some encouragement from Ladybug, he opened the doors and walked inside, Ladybug beside him. At the top of the stairwell was his father, Nathalie standing next to her. Adrien tried his hardest to keep a straight face.

"Ladybug, what a surprise. Welcome to my home." Gabriel said, nodding at the superhero, glancing briefly at her and Adrien's hands, which were still together.

"Hello, Mr. Agreste." Ladybug replied politely, and Gabriel turned his eyes to Adrien, who stiffened.

"Can you explain to me why Ladybug has escorted you home?" Gabriel asked him, and Adrien nodded.

"Yes, Father," Adrien replied evenly, glancing at Ladybug momentarily before returning his eyes to look at his father's. "I-I…" Ladybug gave his hand a squeeze, and Adrien found the courage to continue. "I went to meet Ladybug at the park, and I brought her home to tell you that I asked her to be my girlfriend, and she said yes."

Silence fell upon the room, and it was so quiet that Adrien could almost hear his heart beating. No one said a word as Gabriel scanned Adrien and Ladybug with a thoughtful expression. The slightest hint of a smile crossed his face before he hid it as he cleared his throat, startling Adrien.

"I see. Ladybug, would you care to stay for dinner this evening?" Gabriel asked, and Adrien was stunned. Was this his way of showing that he approved. Adrien could feel the grin spread across his face as the shock wore off, and he barely restrained himself from running and hugging his father, instead turning to Ladybug, who turned to him as well, blushing slightly when she saw his grin.

"My parents might wonder where I am…" Ladybug paused when she looked back at Gabriel, whose eyes had narrowed. "But if I call them and explain where I am, I think they'll be fine with letting me stay for dinner!"

"Excellent. Dinner will be prepared in about an hour. Why don't you and Adrien spend some time together?" Gabriel suggested, and he left the room, Nathalie following behind him with a quick glance at the couple. Adrien and Ladybug stared at each other, trying to process what had just happened.

"Well, that was… unexpected," Adrien broke the silence, and Ladybug shrugged in response. "So what do you want to do in our free hour?"

"How about we play some Ultimate Mecha Strike III? I've heard you're pretty good at it." Ladybug suggested, a smirk on her face and a challenge in her eyes. Adrien returned the look.

"And I have heard the same about you. You're on." Adrien answered, and they headed off to Adrien's room to battle mechs for the next hour.

* * *

Dinner was very awkward, to say the least. Adrien and Ladybug were seated on opposite sides of the large table, and Gabriel was seated at the head, and there was no conversation for the first ten minutes of dinner. All that could be heard was the scraping of cutlery on plates and eating. Ladybug looked at Adrien and gestured to the meal, and Adrien shrugged dismissively, which Ladybug took to mean that it was normally like this. Letting out a quiet sigh, Ladybug was about to continue eating when Gabriel decided to speak.

"Tell me, Ladybug, what are your intentions with my son?" He asked, and Adrien almost choked on what he was chewing, and looked at his father with wide eyes. Ladybug was caught off guard by the question, and she took a moment to compose her answer.

"I want to have a relationship with your son, Mr. Agreste," Ladybug began, and she could feel Adrien staring at her as Gabriel gestured for her to continue. "He's a good friend to me, and I want to get to know him better on a more personal level, and him to know me."

"If that's the case, wouldn't it make sense to share all of you at the very beginning?" Gabriel asked, gesturing to her suit. Ladybug didn't know how to answer that at first, and as she was about to respond, Adrien cut in.

"Father, it's fine. I'm not going to pressure her into doing anything she doesn't want to." Adrien said, turning to smile at Ladybug, but Ladybug didn't want to leave it at that.

"Mr. Agreste, I feel that revealing my identity to Adrien at the moment would be unwise because of Hawk Moth. If he found out my identity, and that I was involved with Adrien, he might use those closest to me to get what he wants, including your son." Ladybug explained, and Gabriel put a hand to his chin, thinking about it.

"Very well, Ladybug. But I expect you to be completely open with Adrien if you want your relationship to succeed." Gabriel told her, and Ladybug nodded hastily.

"Of course, Mr. Agreste. When the time is right, I'll reveal my identity to Adrien." Ladybug said, and Gabriel nodded, an impressed look on his face. The conversation ended there, and the rest of the meal was spent in silence.

* * *

After dinner, and after Ladybug had left to return home, Gabriel went into his office, thinking about this new development in his son's life. His son dating a superhero would mean that the Agreste name would receive a lot more attention, and thus more business. His son would also have more company and affection that he himself wasn't able to give, and the thought of his son being happy warmed his heart. And, most importantly… it meant that he could keep a closer eye on Ladybug. His jacket rustled, and a small purple creature flew out and turned to look at Gabriel.

"Nooroo, we are getting closer to obtaining Ladybug and Cat Noir's Miraculous!" Gabriel said, his mouth turning into a sinister grin, which made the kwami frown. "Soon I will achieve absolute power!"

"Master, are you sure this is right?" Nooroo asked, hoping to convince Gabriel not to use his own Miraculous for evil. But it never worked; Gabriel was too set on achieving absolute power to listen.

"That's enough, Nooroo!" Gabriel snapped, and Nooroo cowered under Gabriel's icy stare. "The perfect opportunity has just presented itself, and I plan to make the most of it!" Gabriel stood up and went to the window, looking out at Paris. "Ladybug is dating my son, which means that she will be coming into my home often. When the perfect moment arises, I might be able to snatch her Miraculous without her even realising it! And once Cat Noir figures out that something has gone wrong, with your help, Nooroo, I will take his Miraculous as well!" Gabriel's mouth twisted into a wicked grin, and he took out the brooch that was his Miraculous, and opened it to look at the picture of his wife inside. "Soon, we will be reunited, my love, and we can have our perfect family be whole again."

* * *

 **I also subscribe to the theory that he wants to achieve absolute power so that he can bring back his wife, so hopefully it's okay that I used it here.**

 **Anyway, this was an interesting prompt to write, since I got to write a character other than our two heroes! I think it turned out pretty well.**

 **Please leave a review if you enjoyed! :)**

 **-Green**


	14. It's Not You, It's My Enemies

**Oh boy, this chapter was a journey of emotions. I've thrown in a reveal in here, so I hope you all enjoy that!**

* * *

 **It's Not You, It's My Enemies**

"I love you."

When she woke up today, Marinette would never have imagined that Adrien Agreste would confess his love for her. But here they were, standing in his room, and he had done just that. Except for one small detail, it was as if Marinette was dreaming, or she'd died and gone to heaven. Actually, the detail was pretty important.

She was Ladybug at the moment, and Adrien loved the Marinette that she showed off to Paris while fighting crime. He didn't love the shy, clumsy Marinette that sat behind him in class, but the strong and confident Ladybug who paired up with Cat Noir and protected Paris from Hawk Moth's akumas. And it almost broke her heart. The only thing keeping her from becoming a sobbing mess at this moment was the fact that Adrien loved at least part of her.

"Adrien…" Ladybug started, and Adrien's eyes watched her every movement closely, waiting for her to respond. "I do return your feelings, don't get me wrong. But…"

"But what? We can make this work, Ladybug! Please give me a chance!" Adrien pleaded, and his eyes looked so hopeful that Ladybug almost gave in to him.

"But I can't accept your feelings, not like this." Ladybug finished, and she could almost see the moment that his heart broke, and it made her feel awful. His bright green eyes lost their shine, the smile fell off his face, and his shoulders slumped, and she wanted nothing more than to hug him and see the brightness return.

"Why?" Adrien asked, and his voice sounded so broken that Ladybug felt tears stinging her eyes, but she refused to let them fall, blinking them away. If anything, he was the one that should be crying, and he looked like he might.

"Because this isn't the real me. The Ladybug behind the mask is so different that we're practically two different people," Ladybug explained, and her own words made her feel sick. If Adrien found out that she was Marinette behind the mask, she was sure that he would reject her on the spot. She was nothing like Ladybug, and he'd see that right away. "And I don't want to put you in danger from Hawk Moth's akumas. If Hawk Moth found out that we were seeing each other, he might put you in danger to get at me."

"I… I understand, Ladybug. But I won't stop loving you. And if I ever find out who you are under the mask, I promise that I'll love her, too." Adrien told her, and Ladybug held back a sob.

"I wish I could believe you, Adrien… But I can't." Ladybug said, and she left, swinging away toward the bakery. As she leapt across rooftop after rooftop, Ladybug could feel tears escaping her eyes, and she silently cursed, wishing that she had made it back first before letting go.

She reached her balcony and opened the trapdoor, and flopped down onto her bed. She detransformed, and Tikki floated above her once she regained her form, looking at Marinette sadly.

"Oh, Tikki, why did this happen?" Marinette finally let out a sob, and all of a sudden it all came out, and Marinette didn't know if she could handle everything. She felt awful for rejecting Adrien, and she turned and cried into her pillow as she remembered the heartbroken expression on his face. She had no idea how she was supposed to face him at school tomorrow.

* * *

She felt awful, in more ways than one.

The first way is that she couldn't sleep at all because she kept thinking about Adrien and how she broke his heart, and she was dreading seeing him. And the second was when she actually got to school.

She had gotten to class late, and as she was sneaking in, she looked at Adrien, just out of curiosity. He looked just as bad as her, if not worse. He nodded at her in acknowledgement, but he didn't do anything more, and Marinette wanted nothing more than to walk out the door. But he didn't know that she was Ladybug, who had broken his heart, so she had to pretend that she was okay. She sat down quietly and got out her things, avoiding looking at the back of Adrien's head.

"Girl, you look like a mess. What's up?" Alya whispered once Marinette was all set up.

"I'll be fine; I just found it hard to sleep last night." Marinette replied, and Alya left it there when Miss Bustier looked their way. Marinette tried to only look at the board and not the head of blond hair in front of her, but out of the corner of her eye, she could see Nino look over at him every once in a while, and Marinette felt even worse, knowing that she was the reason his best friend was worried about him.

After seeing it a few times, Marinette felt so bad that she couldn't even look up, so she kept her eyes glued to her notebook, drawing some doodles of ladybugs and cats in the margins. Once the bell rang, Marinette tried to get up and rush out of there as fast as possible, but Alya put a hand on her shoulder, keeping her in place, and Marinette sighed, turning to her friend.

"We're all going to a café for lunch because you and Adrien both look like death and some coffee will do you both good." Alya told her, smirk on her face, and Marinette almost groaned, not wanting to be around Adrien at that time, but she couldn't exactly tell her friends that she was the one that upset Adrien, so she kept her mouth shut and nodded.

* * *

The four friends left the school and started walking to the nearest café, which was nearby, so they would have plenty of time to eat, spend some time together and then get back in time for class. Alya and Nino were walking in front of them, chatting, which left Marinette and Adrien to walk side by side. To onlookers, the friend group would have been quite a sight; the two in front happy and bubbly, and the two at the back sullen and sad.

Marinette avoided eye contact with Adrien, looking off to the side as if she was observing the streets of Paris, when in reality she was hyper-aware of how close Adrien was to her and what she had done to him. She wanted so badly to hug him and make him feel better, but coming from her it would look completely out of the blue, and he would probably think her weird. At one point she turned to him and opened her mouth to speak, but she saw that he was looking down at his sneakers, completely despondent, and Marinette decided to say nothing.

When they got to the café, Alya told Marinette and Adrien to find a table while she and Nino ordered, since she knew what they liked, and Marinette really wanted to tell Alya to stop. In a normal situation, she would love the chance to spend a couple of minutes alone with Adrien, but the last thing she wanted to do in that moment was be alone with Adrien, her feelings of guilt eating away at her and him completely unaware of what she was thinking.

They found a square table for four, and Marinette and Adrien sat on opposite sides, diagonally away from each other. At first Adrien regarded her with a curious look when she scooted away, but he seemed not to care too much because he quickly went to staring out the window, a distant look in his eye. Marinette kept her eyes fixed on Alya and Nino, who were waiting in a small line.

They took their time, and Marinette was left to think about how she could fix this situation. The first thing she could think of was that she should stop visiting him as Ladybug, and hope that he would eventually move on and find someone else, but she felt that that would only make it worse, and he might think that she was avoiding him because she didn't return his feelings after all. The next thing she thought of was not caring about everything and starting a relationship with him anyway, but she figured that he wouldn't appreciate her taking back her word immediately, and she still didn't want to put him in danger.

She was about to try and think of something else when she felt a hand touch hers, and she looked away from her friends to see that Adrien was looking at her, concerned. She bit her lip, wondering why he was looking at her that way. Shouldn't she be the one concerned about him? That when she realised that she had been feeling so terrible about everything that she had blanked him, and she realised that she was a horrible friend for not even trying to help him get his mind off it.

"Sorry!" Marinette blurted out before Adrien could speak, and his mouth closed, an eyebrow raised.

"For what?" Adrien asked, and Marinette scrambled to come up with something.

"I haven't even asked you if you're okay, even though it's obvious you aren't, and I'm sorry for being a bad friend!" Marinette rambled, and Adrien blinked, stunned. Before he could reply, Alya and Nino had come with their order and were sitting down, both Marinette and Adrien receiving large cups of coffee with their sandwiches. They didn't get another moment to talk to each other, but Marinette could feel his eyes on her.

* * *

"Tikki, what if I told him?"

"What?" Tikki asked back, confused by the sudden question. Marinette sighed and looked up from her homework at her kwami.

"What if I told Adrien that I was Ladybug?" Marinette clarified, and Tikki said nothing. Marinette sighed. "I know it's probably a bad idea, but I feel like he has the right to know. Maybe if he finds out that I'm plain old Marinette, he'll get over Ladybug faster."

"Oh Marinette…" Tikki said, flying closer to her chosen. "But you are Ladybug, even without the mask! All being Ladybug does is amplify your traits, and the anonymity means that you can act however you want to."

"But he knows Ladybug as a confident and witty girl, and I can't even get a full sentence out around him without looking like a weirdo," Marinette argued, staring down. "He'd never accept me the way I am." Tikki thought about the idea while Marinette got back to her homework, and Tikki waited until Marinette was finished to speak up.

"I think you're right, Marinette." Tikki said, and Marinette sighed.

"I knew you'd see it my way… Adrien's too good for someone like me." Marinette looked away, but Tikki flew in front of her face, a smile on her face.

"No, Marinette, I meant that I think you should tell Adrien that you're Ladybug." Tikki corrected, and Marinette's eyes widened.

"Really? But what about Hawk Moth? I don't want to put Adrien in danger…" Marinette voiced her concerns.

"I think Adrien will respect your secret enough to know not to tell anyone," Tikki replied. "And I think that revealing yourself will show him that you're special."

"I think it's more likely that he'll never talk to me again when he realises that I'm the one that broke his heart." Marinette replied, staring at her computer screen, and Tikki flew in front of her again.

"Marinette, if he doesn't talk to you again, I'll drop the subject," Tikki said. "But if he accepts you, then I think an extra cookie or two would be nice." Tikki winked, and Marinette giggled.

"Okay, Tikki, but you'll see that I'm right. Even though my heart will be broken, at least Adrien will be able to move on. He deserves a chance to be happy," Marinette told her kwami, and she stood up. "Tikki, spots on!" Marinette transformed into Ladybug and headed over to the Agreste mansion. When she arrived, she saw that one of the windows was open, so she landed on the window sill and knocked on the window. Adrien, who was on his computer, turned around and his eyes widened when he saw her.

"Ladybug…" Adrien said, walking over as Ladybug dropped into his room. She saw the beginnings of a frown form on his face, and she decided to talk quickly so that she wouldn't lose her nerve.

"Adrien, I have something that I need to talk to you about." Ladybug said, gesturing to the couch, and Adrien sat down, but Ladybug chose to stay standing in front of him. "I… I feel bad about how I left you yesterday, and I want to show you why I couldn't accept your feelings."

"What do you mean?" Adrien asked, confused, and Ladybug sighed.

"I want to show you who I am under this mask." Ladybug told him, and his eyes widened.

"You… Really? But why?" Adrien asked, and Ladybug wanted to laugh.

"Because I want to show you that I'm nobody special, and that you deserve better," Ladybug sighed. "Tikki, spots off." Bright pink light filled the room, and Ladybug detransformed into Marinette. Tikki flew into Marinette's purse quickly so that Adrien wouldn't be overwhelmed right away. Adrien's eyes were closed, and when they opened, Marinette watched as his eyes grew even larger.

"Marinette…" Adrien whispered, and Marinette nodded.

"I'm sorry that I'm not someone more exciting, Adrien," Marinette said, looking away. "It's just me, the girl that sits behind you in class. I hope seeing me like this makes it easier for you to move on. I'll leave you alone at school, too." The last thing Marinette expected to hear at this moment was laughter, but when Marinette turned to Adrien, he was laughing, and suddenly she felt really stupid. "Um, I'll just go, then…" Marinette was about to let Tikki out, but suddenly Adrien was standing up and putting a hand on her shoulder, and she froze in place. She looked at him, and he was smiling at her.

"I can't believe it was you all along, Marinette!" Adrien exclaimed, and Marinette was very confused. "You're Ladybug!"

"Uh, yeah, I'm Ladybug…" Marinette said, wondering what Adrien was thinking right now.

"This is great! I was really worried that you would be someone I didn't know, but it's you! My first friend is the person I love!" Adrien hugged her suddenly, and Marinette didn't know what to do. She certainly didn't expect him to be so excited. Not feeling her respond, Adrien pulled away, holding her arms. "I'm really glad it's you, Marinette."

"But why? I'm nothing special. You could do so much better than me…" Marinette said, and the smile on Adrien's face grew smaller.

"But I love you, Marinette! It doesn't matter if you're you or Ladybug, you're still the same person." Adrien told her, and Marinette looked away.

"How can you say that? You've only ever seen Ladybug at her best, and I've always been a mess around you. I don't see how you can accept that. We're so different." Marinette told him, unable to meet his eyes, but Adrien lifted her head so that she could see his eyes.

"Actually, I have seen you feeling down as Ladybug," Adrien told her, and Marinette's eyebrow rose. "You see, I have something to tell you as well. Plagg, you can come out." Adrien pulled out his shirt, and a black creature with green eyes flew out and floated next to Adrien. Marinette instantly recognised what it was.

"A kwami… But, that means…" Marinette's eyes widened as it clicked. "You're Cat Noir?!"

"Surprise, my lady!" Adrien grinned, and the grin was so like Cat Noir that Marinette couldn't deny it. At that moment, Marinette's purse opened and Tikki flew out.

"Hello, Plagg! Nice to see you again!" Tikki greeted the other kwami.

"Nice to see you again too, Tikki." Plagg replied, and the two flew away to the other side of the room to leave Marinette and Adrien alone. Marinette could only stare at Adrien, and slowly the grin faded to be replaced with a frown.

"Are you disappointed it's me? I know you're probably wondering how I could be so different as Cat Noir, but that's just who I want to be. My father would disapprove if I acted like that, so I let myself go when I'm in the suit." Adrien explained, and Marinette nodded absently, but then she smiled.

"We've been so stupid, haven't we?" Marinette said, and Adrien raised an eyebrow. "I mean, you've been in love with me as Ladybug, and because I liked you as Adrien, I rejected you so much as Cat Noir and was never able to speak to you as me. If we'd told each other who we were right from the beginning, all of this could have been avoided."

"I guess you're right, my lady. It seems so obvious in hindsight." Adrien laughed, and Marinette couldn't help but laugh as well. Now that everything was out in the open, it all seemed so silly for them to have gone through all the pain they did. After their laughter died down, they looked at each other, smiling.

"So what happens now?" Adrien asked, and Marinette thought about it.

"This is all so overwhelming, so how about we just let things fall into place?" Marinette suggested, and Adrien nodded. "How about for now, we just relax and enjoy each other's company?"

"Sounds _purr_ fect, my lady." Adrien said, and Marinette sighed at the pun, though she smiled still. They sat down on the couch, side by side, and looked at the night sky together. Tomorrow they could figure things out, but for tonight, Marinette was happy to just know.

* * *

 **I didn't want to make it too angsty, so I made sure to end it on a happy note. I hope the reveal was believable enough! As always, leave a review if you want! :)**

 **-Green**


	15. Secret Dating

**Fluff central this chapter, which is a nice change from the angst of the last one, haha. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Secret Dating**

Ladybug left his room, winking at him before disappearing behind a rooftop. Adrien stared outside for a few seconds, stunned. A grin started to come across his face, and when Plagg came out of hiding, he groaned when he saw the expression on his chosen's face.

"Oh brother…" Plagg said. "After you're done rambling to me I expect a lot of camembert."

"Did that just happen, Plagg? Am I dreaming?" Adrien asked, ignoring what his kwami had said. "Did Ladybug just ask me to be her boyfriend? And did I say yes?"

"Sure did. Now can I have my cheese?" Plagg said flatly, not caring on the outside, but secretly happy that Adrien was happy.

"This is so great!" Adrien exclaimed, getting some camembert from his bag and putting it on his desk, where Plagg immediately started to snack on it. Adrien cringed at the smell, but he was mostly used to it by now, so it didn't bother him so much. "It's a shame that I can't tell anyone else, but I'm dating Ladybug!"

"Yeah, yeah. Now shouldn't you be going to bed? You have school tomorrow." Plagg reminded him, and Adrien sighed.

"You're right, I should go to bed, it's late," Adrien checked his phone and saw that it was past midnight. "Maybe I could see Ladybug tomorrow…" A thought crossed Adrien's mind. "Actually, how does this secret dating thing even work?"

"Guess you'll find out. Talk about it with Ladybug next time you see her." Plagg suggested, mouth full of camembert.

"Good idea, I'll do that." Adrien nodded, getting into bed. He quickly fell asleep, and he dreamed of Ladybug that night.

* * *

The next day at school, Adrien was in a very good mood, even though it was morning. When he walked into the room, just on time, smiling like a fool, he noticed that the whole class was staring at him, and he blushed as he took his seat.

"Dude, what's gotten into you? You look like you won the lottery or something." Nino asked, curious to know what was up with his friend's wide smile.

"Oh, you know, I'm just feeling good today." Adrien replied, and before Nino could question him further, Marinette burst into the room, panting as if she'd just run all the way to school. Adrien caught her eye and she looked away quickly, blushing as she walked past him. Adrien chuckled, and he could faintly hear a sigh come from behind him. Miss Bustier entered the room soon after and begun class.

Adrien paid attention in class normally, but that day, he couldn't stop thinking about Ladybug and that he was dating her now. Out of the corner of his eye he could see both Nino and Chloe glancing at him every so often, and his grin only widened, because even though he knew he wouldn't be able to tell anyone about it, he could leave them guessing.

After class had finished, and Miss Bustier somehow hadn't caught him daydreaming, Adrien was about to get up and see if he could get Ladybug to have lunch with him, he was attacked from both sides, courtesy of Nino and Chloe. Adrien's grin dropped a little; maybe he shouldn't have egged them on.

"Adrikins! What's got you so happy?"

"Dude, why do you keep smiling like that?" Nino and Chloe's questions came out at the same time, and they both looked away from Adrien briefly to glare at each other, before looking back at him expectantly. Adrien heard the rushing of feet, and Adrien looked behind him to see that the whole class was gathered around him, waiting to hear what he had to say.

"U-uh…" Adrien suddenly got shy, not used to so much attention all at once, and his cheeks flushed red. "I might have a lunch date today."

"Oh, you're so kind, Adrikins! Of course I'll go on a date with you!" Chloe squealed, gripping Adrien's arm, but was surprised when Adrien detached her from him.

"Sorry Chloe, but it's actually going to be with my girlfriend." Adrien said, standing up, and while the class was trying to process what Adrien had just said, he quickly left the room, a smirk on his face. He didn't like to be like that to Chloe, but it was worth it to see her spluttering at him after everything that she did to his friends. Plagg flew out of his shirt, snickering.

"Good one, kid!" Plagg said, and Adrien laughed.

"Yeah, it was pretty funny, huh?" Adrien said, grinning. "Now hide, Plagg. We're not alone just yet. I'll get you some cheese while I wait for Ladybug." Happy at the prospect of cheese, Plagg flew back into Adrien's pocket without any complaints, and Adrien walked into the park.

* * *

Marinette was happy to see that Adrien was so happy today. He looked even more handsome than usual with a large smile on his face, and she didn't want to see it fade from his face ever.

When Adrien was surrounded by all of their classmates, Marinette found it hard to hold in her laughter. But when she heard what he said, the smile dropped off her face. A lunch date with his girlfriend? But that was… Her eyes widened. That was Ladybug! And he wanted to have a date with her!

"Uh, I have to go do some chores at home, Alya! I'll see you after lunch!" Marinette told her friend, rushing out of the room to get a glimpse of where Adrien was going so that she would know where to show up as Ladybug. She witnessed him walking into the park, and she quickly ducked into a nearby alleyway.

"Tikki, I'm sorry, but I need to transform, if that's okay?" Marinette opened her purse and asked her kwami, who flew out and nodded. "Thanks, Tikki! Spots on!" Soon Ladybug emerged from the alleyway and hurried to the park, swinging around so that she wouldn't be spotted by civilians and cause a panic. She found Adrien sitting on a bench, and she came and sat next to him, startling him until he saw that it was her. He grinned and gave her a hug, which she gladly returned.

"Ladybug! I was hoping I'd see you now!" Adrien exclaimed, eyes sparkling, and Ladybug felt her face warm up. He was really attractive when he was happy, and she felt like kissing him.

"It's a good thing that I was coincidentally in the area, or I might have missed you," Ladybug awkwardly chuckled, not telling him that she had heard him make the plans. "We should find a way to communicate so that we're on the same page. How about I give you my number, and you can text me so that I know it's you, since I don't have my phone in the suit, and we can talk that way?" At that moment, she was glad that she'd never given Adrien her phone number as Marinette before. She'd tried a few times, but she had always been too choked up and always chickened out.

"I like the sound of that! Here, put your number in," Adrien fished out his phone and handed it over to Ladybug, who added herself as a contact, saving her name as Ladybug with a ladybug emoji, and gave Adrien his phone back. He quickly sent a text and put it back in his pocket. "Great! I just sent you a text for when you detransform."

"I'll check it right away," Ladybug smiled, before she remembered what Adrien wanted to do. "So why did you want to see me?"

"Do I need an excuse to see my amazing girlfriend?" Adrien smirked, and once he got Ladybug to blush, he adopted a more serious expression. "But in all seriousness, I was wondering how this whole dating thing would work between us, and I wanted to discuss it with you."

"Hmm, that's a good idea. We didn't really talk about it last night," Ladybug said, and she thought about it. They'd both have to try and make time between school, Adrien's busy schedule and her needing to find excuses to get away and transform without being found out. "How about we text during the day, and we can meet up at night, maybe in your room or somewhere else when we want to have dates?"

"Great idea! That way, even though we won't be able to see each other often during the day, we're still talking, and then we can be together at night," Adrien smiled dreamily, as if he was thinking about a night time visit, and Ladybug had to turn away to hide the blush that fought its way to her cheeks.

"I look forward to our first meet up tonight," Ladybug winked at Adrien once her blush had died down, and it was his turn to blush, causing Ladybug to giggle. How was she so lucky to have his heart? "Anyway, we should probably split for now. You still need to have something to eat before getting back to school." She poked his nose playfully, and he laughed at the action.

"See you tonight." Adrien said, giving her a kiss on the cheek before he left, heading in the direction of his house. Once she was sure he was gone, and checking for onlookers, Ladybug detransformed, and Tikki dropped into her hands, smiling up at Marinette.

"I still can't believe this is real," Marinette said, and Tikki flew up and nuzzled against Marinette's cheek, eliciting a laugh out of the girl. "Oh, Adrien texted me his number!" Marinette opened her purse and pulled out her phone, opening up the unread message from a number that had to be Adrien's.

 _Looking forward to texting you in class ;)_

Marinette blushed, holding in her giggles. She would have the perfect view of him being sneaky and texting her, and he wouldn't even know that she was right behind him. As that thought crossed her mind, she put her phone on silent, not wanting Alya to get suspicious if her phone kept vibrating because she knew she'd be questioned until she got a good answer. Walking back to the bakery for a bite to eat before lunch, Marinette added him as a contact and replied to his text before she put her phone back in her purse.

 _And I look forward to hearing if you get in trouble for texting in class ;)_

* * *

 **Haha, I love writing these two being adorable with each other. Please leave a review if you liked this! :)**

 **-Green**


	16. Window Kisses

**This probably isn't one of my best, since I'm not too good with writing heavy romance, but I hope it's still good!**

* * *

 **Window Kisses**

She knew she probably shouldn't be doing this. It was wrong of her to use her power this way, and she really should be doing this the right way. But she didn't really care in that moment.

They were sitting on his couch, smiling at each other and faces flushed as they exchanged kisses filled with pure emotion. His lips were intoxicating, and she couldn't stay away. It was almost as if his lips against hers gave her the oxygen she needed to breathe.

They pulled away, foreheads together and gazing into each other's eyes. Neither one wanted to be the first to break contact, but both of them knew that she should be going.

"See you tomorrow night, Ladybug." Adrien said, sly smile on his face, and Ladybug pressed a kiss on that smile before she pulled away and sat up.

"I'll miss you until then, handsome." Ladybug winked, and she was tempted to stay a little longer when his face flushed. However, she had school tomorrow, and it was already past midnight, so instead she jumped onto his window sill and flew off into the night.

* * *

Marinette had no idea how she managed to make it through school nowadays. Her mind was completely on Adrien, and just capturing a glance of him sent her off into daydreams.

Alya was growing more and more exasperated with her friend, and had threatened an intervention recently. She wouldn't understand that she saw Adrien in a way that no one else did, though, and she couldn't talk about it unless she wanted to give everything away.

Unfortunately, her new habit hadn't gone unnoticed by her teachers, and she was starting to get sent to the principal's office quite often, though she didn't get into any real trouble, since Mr Damocles would only tell her to focus in class and send her back.

Today was the first time it had become a problem for everyone around her, though.

After finishing her test early, Marinette had taken the time left to stare at the back of Adrien's head, hands propping up her head. She entertained the thought of Adrien turning back to see her gazing at him so intensely, and maybe he'd colour a little in the cheeks, or maybe he'd give her one of her smirks, and then he'd reach up and-

"Ow!" Marinette cried out as one of her arms slipped and she banged her elbow on the desk trying to regain her balance, attracting the attention of the entire class, including the teacher. She flashed a sheepish smile at Miss Bustier, who was looking less than impressed.

"You may be finished, Marinette, but please try not to disrupt everyone still working." Miss Bustier narrowed her eyes, and Marinette looked around to see a few of her classmates glaring at her, and she sunk down in her seat, face red with embarrassment. Okay, maybe Alya had a point. From that point on, Marinette tried to be more subtle, and leave the daydreams at home for Ladybug to act out later.

* * *

While he waited for Ladybug to show up, Adrien was thinking about today. Specifically, what happened in class. Marinette had seemed to be very distracted today, and when he'd tried to ask her about it, she had told him not to worry about it and walked away quickly. It did nothing to stop him from wondering if she was okay, and when he tried to ask Alya, she had told him that it was nothing and that she'd handle it, walking away with a huff. He'd have to try again tomorrow.

He heard the sound of something landing on his window sill, and he turned around to see Ladybug jumping into his room, and he smiled at her, walking over and giving her a kiss on the cheek. Being with Ladybug always helped him forget about his troubles, instead just focusing on her.

"Hello, handsome. Miss me much?" Ladybug smirked, planting a kiss on his lips, and before he could return it, she had pulled away, and he pouted. "I know I did."

"Of course I did. I thought about you all day." Adrien told her, and he watched her cheeks flush, causing him to grin as he grabbed her face and kissed her. She reciprocated, her hands moving to the back of his head and running through his hair. She pulled away after a few moments, a playful grin on her face.

"A bit desperate, are we? Don't worry, Adrien, there's plenty of time before I have to go," Ladybug said as she pulled him close, her lips brushing against his ear as she whispered, "I thought about you, too." She pulled back enough to stare into his eyes, and then she leaned in.

* * *

Adrien arrived at school early, and knowing that Marinette would probably be late again, he waited outside for her to show up. Alya and Nino showed up, eyebrows raised at him, and he told them that he'd come inside soon, and they walked in, shrugging.

Eventually, Adrien saw Marinette running to the school, and he waved as she got closer. She stopped in front of him, bent over and panting lightly from the running.

"Hey, Marinette!" Adrien greeted the girl, and she looked up at him, a curious look on her face.

"What are you doing outside, Adrien? School's about to start, isn't it?" Marinette asked, and Adrien was taken aback by her lack of stuttering. It was a nice change, but he didn't expect it.

"I wanted to wait for you and ask how you were doing without anyone else around. I hope there's nothing wrong." Adrien explained, scanning her face to see if he could spot any sign that she wasn't okay. She looked tired, but that was probably because she had just woken up.

"Oh, you're still worried about that?" Marinette asked, a smile on her face, and Adrien could tell that it was genuine. "It's nice of you to ask, but I'm fine. I was just thinking about things." Adrien wasn't satisfied by that answer, but he decided not to press her if she didn't want to say anything more than that.

"Okay, Marinette. I won't push you, but if you need to talk to someone about anything, I'm here for you, alright?" Adrien said, and Marinette nodded. At that moment, the bell rang. "Looks like we're going to be late together today. Let's go!" Adrien chuckled, walking into the school.

Marinette stared at Adrien's retreating form, and she finally let herself blush. That boy was going to be the death of her, and what a sweet death that would be. Even though she had told him that everything was okay, he was still concerned. Speaking of concern, he had stopped walking when he realised she wasn't following and turned back.

"Marinette? We should hurry!" Adrien called, and Marinette jogged over to him, where she noticed his eyebrow was raised. "Are you sure everything's okay? Chloe's not giving you a hard time, is she?"

"Oh, no, I can handle Chloe. I guess I'm just grateful to have a friend like you, and the thought made me happy enough to forget about being late." Marinette laughed awkwardly, hoping he didn't find her too weird in that moment. Even if she was seeing him as Ladybug, she still wanted to try and date him as Marinette. She didn't know how that would work, but she'd cross that bridge when she got there.

"Okay, come on! Miss Bustier should still be doing roll call right now." Adrien said, grabbing Marinette's hand and pulling her along. Marinette's face heated up at the unexpected contact, but she sure wasn't going to complain. She was definitely head over heels for this boy.

* * *

 **In the big picture, this is probably more Adrienette, but ah well. Everyone loves Adrienette, right? :P**

 **-Green**


	17. Late for Class

**Another reveal chapter! I got the idea for this chapter and went for it, and it was really fun to write! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Late for Class**

"Marinette! You're going to be late!" Sabine's voice drifted into Marinette's room, and Marinette groaned, pulling her pillow over her head, as if trying to block out the world.

"Marinette, she's right. You only have five minutes to get to school!" Tikki warned, and Marinette shot up, eyes wide and fully awake.

"What?! Miss Bustier said I'd get a detention the next time I was late this week!" Marinette exclaimed, and checked her phone. She groaned when she realised that she'd forgotten to set her alarm. "Tikki, I'm really sorry, but can I transform to get to school on time?"

"Only this once, Marinette. You shouldn't abuse your powers like this too often." Tikki frowned at her chosen, and Marinette quickly got dressed and was about to transform when Tikki stopped her. "You need to go downstairs, Marinette. If you leave like you normally do, what will your parents think when they come up and see you gone?"

"Right!" Marinette said, rushing downstairs, saying a quick goodbye to her parents and running around the corner, where she was able to transform. She swung her yo-yo at the school and landed on the roof. She dropped down from the roof into the locker room, not noticing the silver car parked in front of the school.

* * *

Adrien finished his breakfast and Nathalie moved to his side.

"Here's your schedule for today." She said, handing him a tablet. Adrien scanned it and handed it back.

"Thank you, Nathalie. Time to get to school." Adrien said, standing up and leaving the house, where his driver was waiting at the gates. Adrien hopped in and the car took off for school. Living nearby, the drive wasn't very long, and soon enough Adrien was getting out of the car, but after he closed the door, something caught his eye, halting him in his tracks. His eyes grew wide and jaw slackened when he saw Ladybug land on the roof of the school and drop down out of sight.

He started running then, up the stairs and in the direction of the lockers. This was his chance to find out who Ladybug was! He knew she didn't want them to reveal their identities, but Adrien was too curious, especially with this opportunity literally dropping into his path.

He hid behind the wall until he saw a flash of red light, indicating that she had just detransformed, and Adrien hesitated. This wasn't right, he knew that, and he should probably walk past and not look. He didn't even need anything from his locker, anyway. But, she was right there… Eventually his curiosity won out and he rounded the corner and the girl that he saw was…

Marinette?

He blinked, taking the sight of her in. She was currently grabbing a book from her locker, so she didn't know he was there just yet, giving him time to process it. Marinette was Ladybug? He could see some similarities, but he wasn't completely convinced. They seemed so different if he looked past appearances.

"Hey, Marinette!" Adrien called out, and Marinette let out a strange noise as she whipped around, looking like she'd been caught committing a crime, and he raised an eyebrow. His suspicion increased as he walked over to her. "Better hurry or you'll be late. There are still a few minutes, and I don't think Miss Bustier's in class yet." Adrien remembered that Miss Bustier told Marinette yesterday that if she was late again this week, she'd receive a detention, and he didn't want that to happen to his friend.

"Thanks, Adrien!" Marinette said, closing her locker and walking past him to head to class. As she did, Adrien inspected her ear, and found a round black earring there. That confirmed it for him, and he grinned to himself. Marinette was definitely Ladybug! He couldn't think of a better person for the job. Even though she was shy and clumsy around him, he had seen her being fiery and confident, and he wondered how he hadn't realised it before. Maybe she acted differently under the mask, just like he did. It seemed so obvious in hindsight.

He was distracted by the sound of a sigh, and he turned to see that Marinette was peeking around the corner. Adrien came up to her and took a look himself, very aware of how close he was to Marinette – his lady! – and saw Miss Bustier heading toward the stairs leading up to their classroom, and Marinette's doom.

"I'll distract her so that you can get to class before her, my- uh, Marinette." Adrien said, face heating up because of his slip, and he walked around the corner before Marinette could respond. "Miss Bustier!" He called out, and their teacher turned around to face him, and he positioned himself so that she would be facing away from the locker room. "I just wanted to say that I'm really glad that you're one of my teachers for my first year of public school! It's been a really nice experience for me!" As Adrien spoke, he subtly gestured with his head for Marinette to go, and she slid along the wall behind Miss Bustier until she reached the stairs, where, from the corner of Adrien's eye, he could see her visibly relax and head up to the classroom.

"Thank you, Adrien! I'm glad that you're enjoying my class!" Miss Bustier beamed at the praise. "I know that school can be daunting at times, so it's nice to hear that you're enjoying yourself." Now that his mission had been accomplished, Adrien gestured for them to walk while they talked, and they headed to class together.

"Yeah, it's very different from being taught at home, but I find the environment to be a lot more positive here, and being able to make friends is great." Adrien said, smiling, and upon reaching the classroom, Adrien held the door open, and Miss Bustier thanked him before heading in, and Adrien closed the door behind him. As Miss Bustier greeted the class, Adrien walked to his seat, making eye contact with Marinette and flashing her a thumbs up before sitting down.

"Dude, what was that all about?" Nino asked, gesturing behind him.

"I just saved Marinette from a detention." Adrien replied, smiling at the fact that he was able to help his lady even in such a small way.

"Girl, what happened?" Adrien heard Alya ask Marinette, and Adrien tuned into the conversation, turning his head slightly so he could hear better.

"Adrien just distracted Miss Bustier for me so I could get to class before she did!" Marinette replied, and Adrien's heart swelled at how happy Marinette sounded about that. He tuned out then, getting what he needed, and as he focused, he noticed Chloe turned his way out of the corner of his eye, and turned to see that she was glaring up at Marinette. He had to hold in a laugh at how annoyed she looked right now. He was soon distracted by a small paper ball landing on his desk in front of him, and he picked it up and opened it up to see what had been written.

 _I owe you one!_

Adrien smiled, and suddenly an idea hit him. His smile morphed into a smirk as he started to develop the idea into a plan.

* * *

Cat Noir left his room earlier than usual, heading toward his and Ladybug's meeting spot for tonight's patrol. As he bounded across rooftops, he wore a devilish smirk. He hoped his plan would go smoothly.

He arrived at the Notre Dame, and was satisfied to see that Ladybug hadn't suddenly decided to be early as well. He detransformed, and Plagg landed in his hands.

"This should be fun, kid." Plagg laughed, aware of the plan, and Adrien let him fly into his shirt pocket, a piece of camembert waiting for him. Adrien sat down and waited for his lady to show up.

About five minutes later, he could hear the familiar sound of her yo-yo, and he stood up to greet Ladybug, who, upon landing on the roof, was very surprised to see anyone other than Cat Noir standing there.

"Adrien?! What are you doing here?" Ladybug exclaimed, flustered. He smirked at her, and he had to hold in a laugh when her face coloured.

"Hi, Ladybug! I thought I might find you here." Adrien said as if it was completely natural for them to be standing on top of Notre Dame together at this time.

"What are you doing here?" Ladybug repeated, and Adrien chuckled.

"Actually, I kinda wanted to ring in that favour that you promised me today." Adrien said, and Ladybug paled.

"W-What are you talking about? I haven't seen you today, and certainly didn't promise any favours!" Ladybug protested, and Adrien thought it was cute that she was still trying to save face.

"Do you need some evidence?" Adrien asked, reaching into his jeans pocket and pulling out a small paper ball, which he handed to her. "Recognise this?"

"I…" Ladybug said, staring at the message that she had written for him earlier that day. She sighed, finally giving up. "Okay, you got me. I'm Marinette. But how did you figure it out?" Adrien grinned as she made it undeniable that he was right, and he had to resist hugging her right then and there before he could explain himself.

"Well, I might have seen you drop into the school, and then you were the only person in the locker room, so…" Adrien trailed off, smug grin on his face, and Ladybug put a hand to her face, groaning.

"What a terrible way to be found out… Well, I hope I'm not a disappointment, Adrien. I know that you're a Ladybug fan, so I won't be offended if you don't speak to me again." Ladybug said, looking down, and Adrien frowned. Did she think he would be upset to find out that she was Marinette?

"Hey, I never said I was disappointed," Adrien told her, and she looked at him, confusion in her bright blue eyes. He offered her a smile. "In fact, I feel the opposite way. I'm really happy that it's you, Marinette. Not only is one of my first friends a superhero, but she's also one of my best friends!"

"Huh? What do you mean by that?" Ladybug asked, brow furrowed, and Adrien laughed.

"You're not the only one keeping secrets, Marinette," Adrien winked, and he let Plagg fly out of his pocket. After letting Plagg get out a quick hello, Adrien sent his lady a quick smirk. "Plagg, claws out!" He was soon standing in front of her as Cat Noir, and his night vision let him see perfectly her stunned face that was quickly turning red. "Sur _purr_ ise, my lady!"

"Y-You…" Ladybug pointed at him accusatorily, and he raised an eyebrow, a playful smile on his face. "You're Cat Noir?!"

"That's right! The cat's out of the bag now!" Cat Noir said gleefully, but Ladybug could only stare at him, and Cat Noir soon started fidgeting, feeling like Ladybug was seeing him in a completely new light. "I, uh, hope this is okay. I know how you are about keeping our identities secret, and I probably could have walked past and respected your wishes, but I couldn't help it. I'm sorry if you're upset."

"You stupid cat," Ladybug finally spoke, and Cat Noir flinched. However, she soon smiled. "It's okay. It probably had to happen eventually, right? And it could have happened in a much worse way, honestly."

"So… You're not mad?" Cat Noir asked hopefully, wanting make sure he hadn't upset her. When she nodded, relief flew through him, and he grinned. "In that case, can I claim that favour now?"

"Oh? And what would you like, kitty?" Ladybug smirked, and Cat Noir could see the curiosity in her eyes.

"Let's go on a date! Now that I know who you are, I'm going to be spending a lot more time with my lady." Cat Noir winked, and Ladybug blushed.

"W-Well, that's not really what I meant by a favour. Would not hurting you for finding out my identity on purpose count?" Ladybug tried, but Cat Noir sent her a smirk that clearly meant that it didn't.

"You already a _purr_ oved of it, so I'm a _fur_ aid not, my lady," Cat Noir enjoyed the way she groaned at his puns. "Humour me, bugaboo."

"Well, alright. You can take me on a date, I guess. I owe you that much for saving me from detention." Ladybug replied, and Cat Noir perked up.

" _Purr_ fect! Friday night at seven sounds good, right? I'm _feline_ like dinner would be lovely."

"If you keep up those puns, I'll take it back, kitty."

* * *

 **What's the bet that if something like this happened in the show, Adrien probably wouldn't even make the connection that Marinette was Ladybug? :P**

 **But I had a lot of fun with this chapter, and the next one has a fun prompt, too, so look forward to that! :)**

 **-Green**


	18. Alya's NOTP

**With a prompt like this, I just had to write from Alya's perspective, so I hope you enjoy this!**

* * *

 **Alya's NOTP**

She thought she had everything sorted out.

Marinette and Adrien would one day get together, with her help, of course, since Marinette will never say anything to Adrien without her help, and Ladybug and Cat Noir are perfect for each other, even though Ladybug keeps rebuffing Cat Noir for whatever reason. It made sense, right?

So, what was she witnessing on the Ladyblog right now?

Alya stared at the picture that had been uploaded, trying to comprehend what it meant. It was a picture of Ladybug and Adrien sitting on a park bench together, and they were too close for Alya's comfort. The picture was taken from too far away for any facial details to be made out, but Alya felt like they were laughing together.

No! This couldn't be happening! Ladybug and Adrien being a thing ruined everything. What about poor Cat Noir and Marinette? Her OTPs were being broken up, and Alya wouldn't stand for it. But first, she had to make sure that Marinette didn't see that picture…

* * *

When Alya came into school, she saw Marinette sitting at their desk already, head on her arms, looking like she was trying to fall asleep. Alya came at sat next to her, eyebrow raised.

"What's got you like this, girl?" Alya asked, concerned, and Marinette answered with a groan, turning her head so that she was looking at Alya sideways.

"I'm just tired, had a late night. Too busy sketching designs…" Marinette replied, suppressing a yawn.

"You really need to start going to bed earlier. And even with a late night, I'm impressed that you're here early." Alya nudged her friend teasingly, and Marinette groaned again, sending her an annoyed look.

Yeah, Mum decided to come up and get me out of bed for once. It worked." Marinette sighed, closing her eyes. Alya was about to comment further, but she heard the classroom door open, and she turned to see Nino walking in, phone in hand. Alya suddenly had a bad feeling.

"Alya! Did you see the photo someone posted on the Ladyblog last night?" Nino asked, shoving his phone in her face. Alya glanced at the screen, and of course that photo was there. She rolled her eyes.

"Ugh, I sure did. I do not approve, by the way." Alya huffed, about to hand the phone back when she noticed Marinette sitting up with interest. If she gave Nino his phone now, he might show it to her, and Marinette didn't need the heartbreak. Instead, as Marinette tried to take a look over Alya's shoulder, Alya held the phone to her chest, and Marinette pouted.

"Alya, can I see the photo?" Marinette prompted, and Alya shook her head, tossing the phone to Nino, who barely caught it.

"No, girl! It's nothing that interesting, haha." Alya laughed awkwardly, glancing at Nino to give him an 'if you show her you're dead' look before smiling at her friend. Marinette raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, the way you're acting, it's definitely interesting." After saying that, Marinette procured her phone from her purse, and Alya face palmed. It's a public website; Marinette can get to it on her own phone anyway. Marinette opened the Ladyblog and scrolled until she found the photo. An eyebrow shot up, and Alya waited for the dramatic monologue of how she stood no chance at getting Adrien's heart now. But it didn't come. Alya was stunned when her friend actually smiled.

"Oh, good for him. I'm sure Ladybug will treat him with respect and love." Marinette commented, and Alya could feel her jaw drop. After hearing Nino chuckle, she slammed her mouth shut, sending him a glare before turning back to Marinette.

"You approve?! But girl, you like Adrien! I thought you would be devastated about this!" Alya exclaimed, feeling confused by Marinette's reaction being the opposite of what she'd expected.

"Devastated by what?" A familiar voice asked, and Alya whipped around to see Adrien sit down in his seat and look up at the girls.

"Oh, nothing important, Adrien!" Marinette waved her hands dismissively, and Alya could only stare. "Congratulations, by the way!"

"What are you talking about?" Adrien asked, confused, and Marinette handed him her phone with the photo still on the screen. He took a look, eyebrow shooting up, and handed back the phone, cheeks tinged pink. "Oh, that. Yeah, I was surprised when she said yes to me. Thanks, Marinette!" Adrien grinned, and Marinette smiled back. Nino punched him on the shoulder lightly, as if to congratulate him non-vocally. Only Alya did nothing, staring between Marinette and Adrien.

"This is wrong," Alya said suddenly, and the three focused their attention on her. "This is _so_ wrong."

"What's wrong?" Marinette asked, and Alya grabbed Marinette by the shoulders, startling the poor girl.

"That!" Alya pointed an accusing finger at her phone. "It's supposed to be Ladynoir, not _that_! Ladybug and Cat Noir are perfect for each other!"

"Ladynoir?" Marinette asked, briefly confused, before she figured it out. "Oh, you combined the two names together. Well, Ladybug doesn't really seem to be interested in Cat Noir, so I don't think there's a problem with her dating Adrien."

"But, girl!" Alya looked at her, gesturing subtly to Adrien, and Marinette shrugged. Alya groaned in frustration. "Ugh, I can't believe this is happening! I feel so betrayed. Ladybug and Adrien is officially my NOTP now."

"Thanks for that, I appreciate it," Adrien joked, feigning a hurt look, before getting a thoughtful look on his face. "What's a NOTP, anyway?"

"It means that I can't stand the pairing. Ladynoir will happen eventually, I'm sure of it!" Alya declared, and Marinette held in a giggle.

"Alya, your fangirl is showing." Marinette said, and Alya calmed down a little, thought she was still a little annoyed.

"Anyway, if Ladynoir is Ladybug and Cat Noir, what would Ladybug and I be?" Adrien asked, and Alya stared at him incredulously.

"It doesn't even deserve a ship name!" She exclaimed, and Adrien put on a fake hurt look, pouting at Alya, and Alya sighed in defeat. "Fine, you can name the stupid ship. But I'm not helping!"

"Geez, lady, you're really annoyed about this, aren't you?" Nino smirked, and Alya had to resist the urge to go down there and smack it off his face.

"Of course I am!" Alya replied, gesturing to Marinette, who raised an eyebrow at her, and Nino nodded in understanding, but he still wore the smirk.

"I think I came up with a name!" Adrien said, and all attention returned to him. "Ladrien! What do you guys think?"

"Meh." Alya muttered, and Marinette nudged her warningly. Alya rolled her eyes, but said nothing further.

"I think it sounds good, Adrien!" Marinette told him, and Adrien smiled. At that moment, Miss Bustier came in and started to do roll call.

"And now we can stop talking about this. I swear, Ladrien won't last. Cat Noir will win her over, I'm telling you!" Alya said, and the discussion ended on that note as class officially started.

* * *

"Ladybug! Can I ask you a question?" Alya asked, running over to Ladybug before she could follow her partner's lead and leave. The two heroes had just defeated another akuma, and Alya had bided her time until she could get Ladybug alone.

"Okay, just one question for my biggest fan. I'm on a bit of a time limit." Ladybug smiled as her earrings beeped. Alya squealed internally, but she kept her composure, wanting to look professional for her hero.

"I have to ask, but why are you dating Adrien? Wouldn't it make more sense to date Cat Noir?" Alya asked, unable to help herself. She just had to know Ladybug's reasoning.

"Well, that was two questions, so I'm only going to answer the first one," Ladybug replied, smirking, and Alya sighed, but nodded for Ladybug to continue. "Well, I accepted Adrien's confession because I have a crush on him. He was really sweet about it, and of course I wasn't going to turn him down." Ladybug's earrings beeped again, and Ladybug touched a hand to one. "I have to go now, bug out!" Ladybug zipped away on her yo-yo, and Alya let out a frustrated groan.

"She's supposed to have a crush on Cat Noir, not Adrien! How am I supposed to get Adrienette together if Ladybug is with Adrien?" Alya ranted, walking in the direction of her house, which was nearby. "Oh well, I won't give up until it happens. I'll just have to wait a while longer to help Marinette out." As she reached home, plans started to brew in Alya's mind on how to get her OTPs to work out.

* * *

 **Alya is very passionate about her Adrienette and Ladynoir, haha. Now if she ever found out their identities...**

 **I hope Alya is in character in this! Leave a review and tell me what you think! I'd appreciate any advice! :)**

 **-Green**


	19. Identity Slip Up

**Sorry for the lack of an update yesterday, my motivation slipped away and I admit that I had some problems with this prompt. Regardless, here it is now!**

* * *

 **Identity Slip Up**

"Miraculous Ladybug!" Ladybug cried, tossing up the screwdriver that she'd gotten with her Lucky Charm, and watched as the magic spread across the night sky, repairing the damage that they and the akuma had caused during the fight. The akumatised victim, a janitor, was also released from Hawk Moth's clutches, and looked around in confusion. Ladybug turned to Cat Noir, who was doing the same, and gave him a grin.

"Pound it!" They exclaimed, bumping fists in celebration. As they pulled away, the ring on Cat Noir's hand beeped, indicating that he had less than five minutes left.

"Looks like you need to head off, kitty. I used Lucky Charm later than your Cataclysm, so I'll stick around and help him." Ladybug gestured to the janitor, who was staring at the two superheroes, things starting to dawn on him. Ladybug was about to go over to him and explain, but Cat Noir grabbed her arm, and she turned back to him.

"No, I'll take care of it, and then I want to talk a little, if that's alright." Cat Noir said, uncharacteristically serious, and Ladybug was so stunned that she could only watch as Cat Noir talked to the janitor and pointed him in the direction of his home. Ladybug's earrings beeped as she watched, and she was made aware that they had very little time left.

"What could that cat want…?" Ladybug thought aloud, watching as Cat Noir returned to her side.

"Maybe I could help you figure that out, my lady," Cat Noir replied, and he pointed to his cat ears in response to Ladybug's surprised look. "Su _purr_ hearing is very useful."

"Cat Noir, I thought you were the one to start being serious," Ladybug smirked. "Might I remind you that we both have less than five minutes before we change back?" As if to reinforce her point, Cat Noir's ring beeped again, another paw mark fading.

"You're right, my lady. I'll try to be quick, at least for your sake," Cat Noir nodded, and Ladybug raised an eyebrow, wondering what that meant. "Ladybug… I want to show you who I am under the mask."

"Cat Noir… I thought we agreed that we would keep our identities a secret from each other." Ladybug frowned, and Cat Noir shook his head.

"I know that, my lady, but I'm not asking you to reveal yourself," Cat Noir replied. "But I really want to. I trust you with my life, bugaboo, and I want to trust you with my identity, too." Ladybug's earrings beeped again, and another spot disappeared.

"That's a lot of responsibility to put on me, isn't it?" Ladybug asked, and Cat Noir shrugged. "Me knowing who you are would make me want to protect your family as well, and I can't prioritise anyone when an akuma attacks. And I really want us, if we do, to show ourselves to each other together, not separately. I'm sorry." Cat Noir looked away, expression unreadable, and Ladybug felt bad about it.

"When you put it like that, my lady, it makes sense. I get it," Cat Noir looked back at Ladybug, a soft smile on his face. "I'll wait for you to be ready. I don't want to rush the _purr_ fect moment." As Cat Noir wiggled his eyebrows at her, and Ladybug rolled her eyes at the display, Cat Noir's ring beeped again, and Ladybug noticed that he was down to his final paw print.

"Cat Noir, you have less than a minute to go before you detransform!" Ladybug warned, and Cat Noir's eyes widened before he looked back at Ladybug.

"I guess I'll see you later, LB." Cat Noir winked, ducking into a nearby alleyway. Ladybug sighed once he was out of sight. Cat Noir was starting to get really pushy about this whole identity thing. The reasons she'd outlined were her main reasons for keeping them to themselves, but she also didn't want to face the possibility of Cat Noir being disappointed if he found out that under all the Ladybug bravado, she was plain old Marinette who can barely talk to the boy she likes.

Ladybug's attention was drawn to the green light that suddenly lit up the area where Cat Noir had gone, and Ladybug figured that that was Cat Noir detransforming. She still had a few minutes, so she decided to wait until Cat Noir left before leaving herself, turning her back to the alley.

Her earrings beeped, and she started to get anxious. Surely Cat Noir had left by now? Ladybug was about to take off when she heard the sound of footsteps. Purely out of instinct, Ladybug whipped around, and her eyes widened when she saw Adrien.

Walking out of the alley that Cat Noir had been in.

He stared back, a deer in the headlights look on his face. For a few seconds, they could only stare at each other, completely silent, as Ladybug put the pieces together, face heating up.

Cat Noir's secret identity… is Adrien Agreste.

"Oh my gosh…" Ladybug broke the silence with a whisper, face as red as her suit, and the words hung between them. As soon as it looked like Adrien was about to say something, her earrings beeped, and Ladybug instantly took off, any words that Adrien may have said lost to the wind in her ears. Her transformation wore off as soon as she landed on her balcony, and Marinette caught Tikki before she fell out of exhaustion. She silently climbed into her room and sat on her bed.

"You really shouldn't leave the transformation to run out like that, Marinette." Tikki warned, flying over to the cookies that Marinette had on her desk. Marinette ignored that for now, instead burying her face into her pillow, feeling completely numb.

"Adrien is Cat Noir… I have a crush on Adrien, and Cat Noir has a crush on Ladybug… How could I be so stupid?!" Marinette screamed into her pillow, feeling overwhelmed and like she was going to cry. She knew she wasn't going to get a wink of sleep tonight, the thoughts in her head far too loud for her to push aside and go to sleep.

* * *

Adrien, having transformed back into Cat Noir to sneak into his house, jumped into his room through the open window and detransformed, with Plagg instantly going to find some camembert, since he had only had enough for the few minutes Adrien took to get home and into his room. Adrien went over to his bed, kicking off his shoes, and fell forward, face hitting the pillow.

"I can't believe she saw me leave the alleyway… I thought she was long gone," Adrien groaned. "And now I've ruined everything. So much for the perfect moment."

"Cheer up, kid, it's not like it's the end of the world," Plagg said nonchalantly, stuffing some camembert into his mouth. "Just have some cheese and everything will be fine." Adrien turned his head so that he was facing his kwami, whose cheeks were bulging.

"But Ladybug's not going to want to talk to me anymore. She wanted us to reveal our identities to each other at the same time, and now she knows who I am. I should have gone down the other side of the alley." Adrien sighed, wishing that he could erase everything that had just happened.

"Technically, it was her fault, you know. You gave her plenty of time to leave, and she turned around when you left the alley. You should be in the clear, kid." Plagg said, and Adrien tried to find comfort in that, but found that he couldn't.

"But she still saw me, and that's what matters. Things are going to be so awkward now… I couldn't even see what her reaction was because of the darkness." Adrien groaned, turning back into his pillow. "Why did this have to happen like this?" Adrien definitely wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight, thoughts of wishing that he could go back in time filling his mind.

* * *

 **Accidental reveals are fun, right? Well, this one isn't fun for either of them, haha. I couldn't find a way to make this end happy without it being too cheesy or too similar to another fic that I read that used this prompt. The next prompt should definitely make up for it, anyway. :P**

 **Remember to review if you want! :)**

 **-Green**


	20. Love Spell or Potion

**Another fun prompt, and we get an actual Ladrien moment for once! I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Love Spell/Potion**

Another akuma attack had struck Paris, and Ladybug was quickly on the scene, dropping what she was doing to get there as fast as possible after seeing a news report. She quickly located the akuma, and was soon standing face to face with the newest victim of Hawk Moth's power, a young woman.

"Ladybug! How nice of you to join me!" The akuma grinned evilly, and Ladybug stood on guard, yo-yo spinning beside her. "Take a look at all that I have done! Love blooms in Paris this day, and everyone shall know the bitterness of rejection!" Ladybug cast her eyes around quickly, seeing people in groups of two, with one being pushy and the other backing away. "There's no way to break the spell other than to hand over your miraculous, Ladybug!"

"Actually, I can think of a better way; by defeating you!" Ladybug exclaimed, throwing her yo-yo in an attempt to ensnare the akuma, but she jumped away before Ladybug could hit her. Ladybug was soon forced to go on the defensive as the akuma started to fire arrows at her, and Ladybug could only assume that they would render her powerless like the civilians around her, and Ladybug weaved and blocked arrows with her yo-yo so that she wouldn't have to know first-hand what would happen.

"Give up, Ladybug! It looks like you're on your own this time!" The akuma said, jumping from rooftop to rooftop to try and catch Ladybug at a better angle, but Ladybug was too quick for her. However, what the akuma had said was making Ladybug worried.

"Where is that cat…?" Ladybug wondered, trying to survey the area for her partner while dodging arrows, but she soon found herself getting sloppy, so she just hoped he would arrive soon as she refocused on the akuma victim and tried to locate their possessed item.

* * *

Her partner had been on the other side of Paris when he learned of the new akuma attack, and he had made his way to the scene as fast as possible, a strategy in mind. If it didn't work out this time, he would make sure to stick to what he knew and leave the planning to Ladybug.

This strategy involved arriving on the scene untransformed and watching the action for a while to hopefully pick up on any weaknesses or the akuma's location, and then transform, inform Ladybug of what he'd learned, and work together to defeat the akuma with an advantage. He hoped his lady would appreciate him trying to do more than just fighting the akumas blindly.

Adrien finally made it to the fight to see that Ladybug was struggling to hold off the akuma's continuous attack. Itching to help her out, Adrien got a little closer so that he could see the akuma victim and try to find out what item had been possessed. He saw that the bracelet around the woman's wrist was purple and deduced that that must be the item the akuma was hiding in.

Just as he was about to retreat into an alley to transform, someone tackled him to the ground, and he braced himself as he hit the concrete. Once he had fallen, Adrien looked up to see what had happened, and his eyes widened when he saw Ladybug above him, shielding him with her body, a blank look in her eyes. Adrien quickly realised what had happened, and cursed his luck. He must have been too distracted to notice the akuma fire at him, and Ladybug was too late to do anything but take the hit for him. But why had she taken the hit in the first place? Before he could think anymore, he heard the akuma laughing, and Ladybug stood up, allowing Adrien to quickly scramble to his feet.

"Now, let's all see who Ladybug's crush is, and the rejection that she will face!" The akuma shouted gleefully, and Adrien turned his attention to Ladybug, whose pupils had a pink circle around them and her lips had turned pink. Adrien expected her to fly off and find her crush, but instead, Ladybug smiled at him.

"Adrien, my love! Let's be together forever!" Ladybug grinned, walking toward Adrien, and Adrien started to back away. No way. _He_ is Ladybug's crush?! While this would normally be the happiest day of his life to see that his feelings were returned, the fact that she was only admitting this because of an akuma ruined it. Regardless, his heart beat faster. He knew he should transform and help his lady, but when he tried to retreat to do that, Ladybug grabbed his arm. He tried to pull away, but her grip was strong. In the background, Adrien noticed the akuma dashing away, cackling.

"Ladybug, snap out of it! You're not yourself!" Adrien called to her, but she didn't seem to register his words, instead leaning in to try and kiss him. Adrien ducked and, regretfully, swept Ladybug's legs out from under her, causing her to fall to the ground and release his arm. He took the brief distraction to run as fast as he could away from the scene, going from alley to alley in an effort to lose her. He could hear the sound of her yo-yo zipping her across rooves above him, and he held his breath when he heard her land on the roof directly above him, and he hid in the shadows.

"Adrien, where are you? You can't hide from me forever, my love!" Ladybug called out after a few minutes of scanning the area, and she finally jumped away, Adrien letting out a sigh of relief. Plagg came out of his pocket and looked at Adrien.

"Are we going to transform now?" Plagg asked impatiently, and Adrien shushed him, trying to think about how he could help his lady. With her being under the akuma's spell, she wouldn't be able to purify the akuma unless he got it and broke the item himself, but he would still have to get Ladybug to purify it, and the questions she would be sure to ask might give the akuma a chance to fly away before she could get the chance. The best option would be to figure out how to break the spell so that they could work together to bring down the akuma.

A scene that he had watched multiple times on the Ladyblog flashed into his mind, and Adrien blushed at the implications it brought. The situation was similar to the one that they, or rather, Ladybug, had experienced with Dark Cupid, except this akuma wasn't trying to make people hate each other, only for people hit with arrows to suddenly confess their love to their crushes. It would probably make for a lot of awkwardness when the affected people were snapped out of it later.

However, knowing what Ladybug had to do to break Dark Cupid's spell, Adrien wondered if the same logic would apply to this akuma, who he decided to dub Cupid, and their spell. That meant letting Ladybug kiss him, and that made Adrien nervous. It was for the good of Paris, though, so if it meant possibly breaking the spell, he had to try.

Adrien walked out of his hiding place, Plagg quickly hiding with a sigh, and walked into the center of the street.

"Ladybug, I'm here!" Adrien shouted as loudly as he can, and almost instantly he could hear the unmistakable sound of Ladybug's yo-yo, which caused butterflies to flutter around in his stomach. Ladybug landed in front of him, a lovesick smile on her face, and Adrien gulped.

"Adrien! I knew you'd come around! Now let me give you a big kiss!" Ladybug exclaimed, moving closer to him, and Adrien stood his ground, even if his instincts were telling him to flee. As Ladybug puckered up and moved closer to him, eyes closed, Adrien waited until the last possible moment before closing his own eyes and feeling Ladybug's lips on his. Almost instantly, Adrien felt something electric on his lips, and he pulled away to see Ladybug's eyes flutter open, eyes widening as she came to her senses. Adrien grinned at his plan's success, watching the pink circles fade from Ladybug's eyes, as well as her pink lips becoming their natural colour. Ladybug blinked at him a few times in confusion.

"Adrien? What just happened? Where's the akuma?" Ladybug asked, and Adrien's heart sank a little to hear that Ladybug didn't remember anything. He decided to play it off, though. He might know that Ladybug has feelings for him, but he wouldn't push them at her before she was ready.

"I think they went that way," Adrien pointed in the direction that he had seen the akuma go, and Ladybug nodded. "Good luck!" Ladybug thanked him and headed after the akuma. Finally without distraction, Adrien went into an alleyway to transform. Plagg came out of his pocket again, giving Adrien an irritated look.

"Finally! Let's get this over with so I can get back to my cheese." Plagg complained, and Adrien rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. I think I can count this a failure on my part. Ladybug can think of the plans and I'll be the distraction. That's what we're good at, and it shouldn't have to change if it works," Adrien mused. "Plagg, claws out!" Adrien transformed into Cat Noir and quickly headed after his lady, who was standing on a roof, blocking Cupid's arrows.

"Hello, my lady! Looks like this akuma's playing matchmaker today. I wouldn't mind if she put us together." Cat Noir winked, pretending that he hadn't just experienced the other end of it. The knowledge that his lady had feelings for him made him much more confident about his chances, though. When he found arrows being fired his way, he quickly got his staff out and whirled it in the same fashion Ladybug was twirling her yo-yo, blocking them.

"Ugh, no thank you. Let's just get this over with, okay?" Ladybug groaned, and Cat Noir frowned when she wasn't looking. It looked like she wouldn't be sharing what had happened, but since he already knew, it didn't matter too much. He still would have liked to have heard it from her, however.

"I think the akuma's in the bracelet on her wrist, wouldn't you agree?" Cat Noir pointed out the item, and Ladybug nodded.

"I think you're right. Let's do this!" Ladybug exclaimed, breaking away from their huddle and jumping onto another rooftop. Cat Noir headed toward the akuma from the other direction, splitting her attention between the two heroes. He was glad things were back to normal, except the new knowledge that he had was much appreciated.

* * *

 **I hope the action scene was okay! I don't have too much experience writing things like that.**

 **-Green**


	21. Desperate Kiss

**A good mix of sweetness and angst in this chapter, I think. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Desperate Kiss**

Ladybug and Cat Noir were fighting an akuma, and it was giving them a harder time than they expected. This victim had an affinity for fire, and they had gotten in trouble for their pyromania, so of course Hawk Moth's new victim would be called Pyro and have the ability to shoot fire. As hard as they tried to get close to the akuma, they couldn't without being struck by fireballs and soon enough Paris was starting to burn.

"How are we supposed to get close enough to get the akuma without being burned?!" Ladybug sighed in exasperation, dodging another fireball that exploded into the ground.

"I'll try to distract him while you come up with a plan, alright? I'm hotter than his fire, anyway." Cat Noir winked, and Ladybug groaned.

"This isn't the time for flirting, Cat Noir! Just go, please." Ladybug said, and Cat Noir called out to Pyro as he dashed away, drawing his fire. Ladybug wondered what to do in the meantime. The akuma was in the flame-themed necklace around Pyro's neck, so it would be easy to grab if she got close enough. But how to do that without being burned?

"Lucky Charm!" Ladybug threw up her yo-yo as she called on her power, and what dropped into her hands was a water gun. "Oh, ha ha. Am I supposed to squirt water at the fireballs coming my way?" Ladybug focused for a second, in which she zoomed in on a rooftop to her left, Pyro's hands, and the water gun. "Got it!"

Plan in mind, Ladybug jumped onto the rooftop, coming at Pyro from her left. He quickly noticed and started to shoot fireballs at her, but Ladybug dodged and he had to focus on Cat Noir as the cat-themed hero got close enough to strike. He fended off Cat Noir, and was startled to find Ladybug close to him, and getting closer. He charged up fireballs in both of his hands, and was about to throw them at her when she blasted water at him from the gun, causing his fire to fizzle. She smirked at him, and he tried again, only to find that he couldn't shoot any more fire, his wet hands putting out any flames before they could start.

"Looks like you're burned out, Pyro!" Cat Noir exclaimed, closing the distance and grabbing Pyro's necklace, which he threw to Ladybug for her to break. She caught and purified the akuma, and restored the damage done in the fight with her healing powers.

"Pound it!" Ladybug and Cat Noir shouted, bumping fists triumphantly, and Ladybug's earrings beeped.

"Looks like I need to go. Would you be able to take care of him for me?" Ladybug gestured to the confused boy on the ground.

"Sure thing, my lady! Although, we should probably talk about that move you pulled right at the end." Cat Noir said, and Ladybug raised an eyebrow. "What if you'd been too slow with the water gun and gotten seriously burned? And what if the water hadn't worked and your cockiness cost you?"

"Cat Noir, it's okay. I knew it would work, so don't worry about me." Ladybug said dismissively, about to leave, but she was surprised when Cat Noir grabbed her arm.

"I do worry about you, LB. If you're going to act so recklessly, at least let me know next time so that I can back you up," Cat Noir frowned, and Ladybug's earrings beeped again. "I'll see you later, my lady." He let go of Ladybug's arm and walked over to the akuma victim. Ladybug swung home, but she wondered what had gotten Cat Noir so riled up about her actions. He acted recklessly when they were fighting akumas too, so why did he feel so strongly about her recklessness?

As she landed on her balcony, she wondered if she should apologise the next time she saw him. She also decided that she would go talk to Adrien about it. She'd become good friends with him after the Volpina incident, and she often found herself coming to him to ask for advice. But first, as Ladybug went into her room and detransformed, she decided that she needed a short nap.

* * *

Adrien paced around his room, unable to think about anything else other than Ladybug charging at Pyro as he was about to burn her to a crisp.

"Kid, sit down and relax!" Plagg groaned from his spot on Adrien's desk, eating some cheese. "If you sit down I might let you have some cheese!" Adrien grumbled, but complied at sat at his desk.

"I don't want the cheese, but I'm sitting now." Adrien said, looking at the Ladyblog, which he had opened on his computer screen. There was no video of the moments leading up to Pyro's defeat, which made sense since the area was in flames, but he wished that he could analyse that moment to try and make sense of why Ladybug had put herself at risk like that.

"You need to calm down," Plagg said, looking at his charge, before being alerted by movement. "Or maybe you can talk it out." Plagg flew under Adrien's pillow, and Adrien watched the kwami curiously before hearing the sound of a knock on glass. He turned to his windows and saw Ladybug hanging down, and she waved when she saw she'd gotten his attention. He went and opened the window, stepping back to allow Ladybug space to jump down into his room.

"Hi, Adrien. Can I talk to you about something?" Ladybug asked, and Adrien already knew that she was going to talk about what happened after the akuma attack. He would have to try really hard not to snap and give himself away.

"Sure, Ladybug! Let's sit down," Adrien sat on his couch, Ladybug sitting next to him. He looked at her, and took in her worried expression. "What's bothering you?"

"It's that easy to see that I'm bothered, huh?" Ladybug chuckled, and she looked at Adrien seriously. "Well, Cat Noir and I had just defeated an akuma, and he came up to me and said that I shouldn't have been so reckless. He seemed really upset, but I'm not sure how I can fix it. We both need to take risks at times to defeat these akumas, so why was he so upset about it?"

Adrien wondered how he was supposed to answer that question without letting Cat Noir slip through and tell her off. He took a deep breath and decided to try and talk it out.

"Maybe it was the amount of danger that you put yourself in when you pulled the move? What exactly did you do?" Adrien asked, wondering what Ladybug's take on her actions would be.

"I used my Lucky Charm and got a water gun, so I came up with a plan to spray Pyro's hands so that he wouldn't be able to use his fire powers any more. I snuck up on him while he was distracted by Cat Noir, and at the last moment he turned and saw me, so as he was charging up his fireballs, I sprayed his hands, rendering him useless. Then we recovered the akumatised object and returned everything to normal." Ladybug told Adrien, and the explanation of Ladybug's view left him uneasy.

"So you were almost hit by fire when you were about to spray him? Maybe Cat Noir was worried about what could have happened if you were too slow?" Adrien suggested. "If you'd waited for an opportunity when he wasn't about to throw fireballs at you, Cat Noir might have felt better about it."

"But I didn't have that luxury. I was too close to dodge, so spraying him was the only option I had left." Ladybug tried to justify her actions, and Adrien almost groaned in frustration. Why didn't she see his issue?

"Okay, but what if the water hadn't done anything? You could have gotten seriously injured." Adrien retorted, and Ladybug's eyebrow rose.

"I knew it was going to work. My Lucky Charm has never failed me before." Ladybug replied coolly, and something about her even tone set something off in him.

"You should still be more careful when you're using it!" Adrien exclaimed, and Ladybug's eyebrows rose at his volume. Silence fell over the two, and Adrien regretted raising his voice. "I'm sorry. I know you're doing your best, but I'm your friend, and I worry about you, too." Adrien hoped that would cover his slip up effectively.

"I know, Paris depends on me and Cat Noir, and either of us getting injured would be really bad," Ladybug looked away, and Adrien felt bad. "But it's not always easy, and we don't always have easy victories. Just getting close to this latest akuma was a risk, and Cat Noir and I both knew that. I hope you can understand that we do what we can to protect everyone, Adrien, and that includes being reckless at times." At that moment, Adrien was aware of how close he and Ladybug had gotten, and his face heated up.

"I do understand. Thank you for everything you do for Paris, Ladybug." Adrien replied, and then he did something that he hoped would help her be more careful in the future. He closed the gap between them, pressing his lips onto hers. She froze at first, but then she relaxed into the kiss, closing her eyes, as he had done. He poured all his worries about her into the kiss, trying to make her see that her safety was worth something, too.

He pulled away, and put his forehead against hers, staring into her eyes, which were wide and filled with emotion. They stayed like that for a minute before Adrien pulled away.

"I hope you understand that people care about you, including Cat Noir, and they would be devastated if something happened to you." Adrien said, and Ladybug nodded, eyes filled with tears.

"I'll remember that, Adrien. Thank you." Ladybug smiled, and she leaned in to give him another kiss, this one filled with tenderness.

* * *

 **Adrien probably wanted to tell her to never risk her safety again, haha. I hope you all liked this! :)**

 **-Green**


	22. Sacrifice

**This chapter is both Ladrien and Adrienette because I honestly struggled to come up with something that was completely Ladrien. I hope you enjoy regardless!**

* * *

 **Sacrifice**

It was a stupid thing to do. Ladybug was perfectly capable of handling herself, and he shouldn't have done what he did. All he knew is that his father was furious that Adrien was out of commission, but he was glad that it wasn't worse.

Adrien had been unlucky enough to be in the area when an akuma attack started up, and even though he tried to run away to transform, the akuma just wouldn't leave him alone. Soon enough, Ladybug had been on the scene and was fighting the akuma, but Adrien couldn't bear to leave her alone, because what if she got hurt in the few seconds he was gone? It was a stupid thought, but it prevented him from leaving, and he could only watch from a safe place as Ladybug dealt with the akuma.

However, he could see that she was starting to struggle, and just as she had slipped up, the akuma was preparing to strike. So Adrien did the worst thing he could have done as a civilian.

He jumped in front of Ladybug and took the hit for her, arms raised in front of his face as a pathetic shield. Upon contact, he felt intense pain in his right arm, and he knew that it was broken. Fortunately, a civilian protecting a superhero was enough to stun the akuma, and Ladybug was able to capture and purify it without any more trouble. She used her Miraculous Ladybug, but his arm didn't heal, and it started to really hurt as the adrenaline rush wore off.

"Adrien! What were you thinking?! Are you okay?" Ladybug said, rushing over to the boy, who was clutching his arm to his chest.

"I didn't think, I just acted. No, not okay, my arm's broken and my father is going to kill me." Adrien told her, and Ladybug quickly escorted him to the nearest hospital, having enough time to make sure he was taken care of since she hadn't used her Lucky Charm.

She had suggested calling his father, and although he was reluctant at first, he knew he would have to know eventually, since he couldn't model with a cast on his arm. So he had called Nathalie, who had informed his father, who had gotten on the phone and told him how stupid he was. Adrien replied that he knew that and that Ladybug had brought him to a hospital to get it treated, and his father had hung up after saying he would cover any costs.

And now Adrien and Ladybug were waiting so that a cast could be applied to his arm, having had an x-ray, which showed a break in the bone that would take six to eight weeks to heal.

"I'm sorry that my power couldn't heal your arm, Adrien. It's going to be tough for you, especially since you broke your good arm." Ladybug frowned, and Adrien was glad that she seemed to be out of the 'you shouldn't have shielded me' lecture that she had been giving him prior.

"Yeah, it sucks, but I guess I'll have to manage. Anyway, now I can tell people that I've broken a bone for the first time! That's a first that people commonly talk about, right?" Adrien said, trying to make light of the situation, but given the look Ladybug gave him, it was probably the wrong thing to do.

"It is, but the circumstances behind your break are anything but common," Ladybug said, and Adrien braced himself for more lecturing. "You really shouldn't have done that. My suit is able to protect me from most blows, and I'm sure I would have been fine after it."

"But what if you weren't fine? What if you'd been weakened enough so that the akuma would have gotten the best of you?" Adrien asked, trying to make Ladybug see his point of view.

"I don't want to win by sacrificing civilians, Adrien. I'd rather get hurt because of my carelessness than someone else, and this is a prime example!" Ladybug gestured to his broken arm. "You're going to be in a lot of trouble with your father, and inconvenienced for a minimum of six weeks!"

"That doesn't matter, Ladybug. What matters is that you're still able to protect Paris, and I just can't do things with ease for a little while." Adrien said, and then under his breath, he muttered, "And I'd throw myself in front of any akuma if it meant you didn't get hurt."

"Well, I hope that you do take it easy, Adrien," Ladybug said, having not heard what Adrien had muttered. "I need to go now, but I hope you get better soon! Maybe I'll check up on you later." Ladybug waved as she left the room, and Adrien sighed. This could have been avoided, and now he'd upset his lady because of his own stupidity. He wondered how he was going to help her as Cat Noir with a broken arm…

* * *

Marinette couldn't help but cringe as she witnessed Adrien come in to school with a cast on his arm the next day, knowing exactly how that had happened. She should have been more focused on the akuma! And where had Cat Noir been? They usually picked up each other's game, so this could have been avoided if he'd been there. She shook those thoughts out of her head quickly. Cat Noir may have been busy, and she shouldn't blame him just for not being there.

"H-How bad is it?" Marinette managed as Adrien sat in his seat, and he turned to face her, and Marinette felt her face warm up as those green eyes made contact with her blue ones.

"Pretty bad. Doctor thinks about six to eight weeks or so. And I definitely can't write with it, so I can't take notes or tests unless I want my writing to be illegible." Adrien said, turning to regard his arm briefly.

"I-If that's the case, then how about I let you use my notes when I'm done with them?" Marinette suggested. Since it was her fault for Adrien having a broken arm in the first place, it was the least she could do to make his life easier.

"You'd do that for me? Thanks, Marinette!" Adrien smiled, and Marinette had to try not to swoon as he flashed his pearly white teeth. However, not all good things last, especially not when there is jealousy involved.

"Ugh, you can't be serious! Adrikins, how about you use my notes instead? I bet you won't even be able to read Marinette's dumb notes anyway?" Chloe spoke up, sending Marinette a cocky smirk, and Marinette glared back at the girl. It's not like Chloe even took her own notes anyway, that was Sabrina's job. She couldn't help but feel self-conscious though, and she took a look at some of her past notes. Her handwriting was neat enough, but what if it wasn't good enough for Adrien? Before she could worry any further, Adrien was speaking again, and Marinette raised her head and tuned it.

"Thanks for the offer, Chloe, but I think I'll be fine with Marinette's help on this one. Her handwriting is really neat, and besides, don't you need to look at the notes you get taken down for you first before you give them away?" Adrien said with a straight face, and Chloe's face turned red as the members of the class who were present snickered. Chloe let out a frustrated groan, glared once more at Marinette and turned back to the front so that she could brood. Marinette suppressed a giggle at Chloe's frustration, and also her blush at Adrien's compliment for her handwriting.

"T-Thanks, Adrien." Marinette said, and Adrien smiled at her in response. Before anything else could be said, Miss Bustier entered the room and started the class, so Adrien turned back in his seat, and Marinette stared at his head dreamily.

"Good one, girl! You had a conversation with Adrien, offered to help him, and only stuttered a little!" Alya congratulated her quietly, and Marinette nudged her friend in embarrassment, but she smiled as she looked at Adrien again. Maybe this could be a chance to get closer to him.

* * *

 **Good luck to you, Marinette! And to Adrien having to come up with a reason for Cat Noir's arm being broken, haha. :P**

 **Also I've never broken my own arm, so I hope the scene in the hospital is passable!**

 **-Green**


	23. Rumours

**Okay, I had a lot of fun with this prompt, so I think it's a good chapter! I hope you guys feel the same!**

* * *

 **Rumours**

Adrien heard whispering all around him when he entered school that day. It made him feel self-conscious to see people staring at him and whispering to their friends, and he held his backpack tighter as he walked to his classroom. He hoped that it wasn't anything bad; he didn't want his father to get on his case about something else that mightn't be true.

When he walked into the classroom, he was greeted by Alya and Nino, and Adrien gave Nino a fist bump as he sat down.

"Dude, is it true?" Nino asked, and Adrien raised an eyebrow.

"What are you talking about?" Adrien asked, confused and a little frustrated that he was out of the loop about something that appeared to involve him.

"The rumours on the Ladyblog, of course!" Alya interjected, and Adrien pulled his phone out of his pocket to take a look for himself. His eyes widened at what he saw. Apparently some person had seen Ladybug save him from an akuma's attack and had watched their conversation before she returned to the fight, and was speculating that he and the superhero were in a secret relationship. Adrien's face heated up as his mind wondered what it would be like to date Ladybug. Before he could think of a response for his friends, his thought process was cut off by a shrill squeal that had him almost reaching for his ears.

"Adrikins! Is it true?!" Chloe ran over to him, and it looked like she was mentally restraining herself from grabbing him, and Adrien couldn't help the amused grin that crossed his face. "Are you dating Ladybug?" Adrien heard shuffling behind him, and turned to see that the entire class was watching to see what he would say. Adrien turned red at the attention now on him, and he felt pressured to produce an answer. He cast a pleading look to Nino, but was answered with a gesture of encouragement, and Adrien sighed.

"Yes, it's true," Adrien lied, and he ignored the gasps as he instantly felt guilty. "Ladybug and I are dating."

"Oh my gosh, this is amazing! My two favourite people, dating! Best day ever!" Chloe squealed, and upon seeing Adrien's amused look return, Chloe calmed herself down, patting imaginary dust off her clothes. "I mean, I hope you and her are happy. I'll try to back off, but it will totally be hard!" Chloe took her seat, and Adrien couldn't help but feel warm. Chloe would finally stop lavishing him with unwanted attention, and it felt great.

Adrien looked over at his two friends, and while Nino was giving him an approving gesture, Alya was typing furiously on her phone, and Adrien's heart sank. Knowing her, she was probably informing everyone on the Ladyblog that the rumours were true, and he was powerless to stop her. He could only hope that Ladybug wouldn't be too upset by his lie.

Miss Bustier entered the room soon after and started class, and Adrien had to try and take his mind off his current predicament to focus on the lesson, with a minor distraction when Marinette entered the class and was scolded for being late again. Adrien noted that even though she had just been told off, Marinette still seemed to be happy, and he gave her a wave as she passed him. She squeaked as she took her seat, and Adrien chuckled lightly as he returned his focus to the lesson.

* * *

At lunch, Adrien was approached by what seemed like the majority of the school, congratulating him on being involved with Ladybug, and he tried to wave it off as casually as possible. After most of the people around him had dispersed, Nino, Alya and Marinette came over to sit with him, the former two with amused smiles on their faces and the latter with a look of confusion.

"What was that all about?" Marinette asked, and Adrien realised that she had been late and thus hadn't been there when he told everyone about his 'relationship' with Ladybug. He was about to say something, but Alya beat him to the punch.

"Girl, Adrien confirmed the rumours on the Ladyblog!" Alya exclaimed excitedly, but Marinette's confusion persisted.

"Rumours?" Marinette repeated, getting her phone out of her purse.

"Are you telling me that you didn't even read the Ladyblog last night? I'm offended." Alya teased, crossing her arms with a fake hurt look.

"Sorry, I was finishing up some homework and forgot to check before I went to bed." Marinette replied, scrolling through her phone, and for some reason, Adrien felt nervous about her finding out. Maybe it was because she would be finding out on her own instead of in a group like everyone else, and it could change the way she saw him. She already seemed timid around him, so what if her finding out that he had said he had a girlfriend that happened to be Ladybug caused her to be even more reserved? He just wanted to be her friend, and he didn't want to ruin the chance before it even started.

"What?!" Marinette screeched upon reaching the Ladyblog, almost dropping her phone, and Adrien deflated as she looked up at him, eyes wide. "You're dating Ladybug?!"

"Yeah…" Adrien said, and Marinette looked to Alya for a second opinion, and she chuckled as she nodded. Marinette's gaze turned back to Adrien, and her stare made him feel like confessing that he was a total liar. Before he could say anything, though, her gaze softened, and Adrien was stunned at how quickly her demeanour went from shocked to relaxed. She almost seemed… amused?

"I see. In that case, congratulations!" Marinette said sincerely, but her raised eyebrow seemed out of place to Adrien, and he wondered what was going on.

"Uh, thanks, Marinette!" Adrien replied, still reeling from her 180 in attitude, and she laughed.

"You're welcome, Adrien. Now, how do you guys like the sound of lunch at the bakery?" Marinette suggested, and Alya and Nino were all over the idea, Adrien absently nodding. He had no idea what had just happened to his shy classmate, and he was kind of scared to find out.

* * *

This was too rich.

Adrien Agreste had lied and said that he was dating her, as Ladybug! Inside, she felt like screaming out of joy, but she was currently in the middle of class, and she would definitely get in trouble. She was looking forward to tonight so that she could set her plan into motion. But for now, she would have fun torturing the poor boy with cryptic words and smirks.

 _How'd it happen?_ Marinette wrote on a piece of paper, scrunched it up, and tossed it onto Adrien's desk. She noticed Alya looking at her from the corner of her eye, and she turned her attention to her friend, keeping a look out for Adrien's reaction.

"You're taking this well." Alya whispered, gesturing to Adrien, and Marinette waved her off.

"I just want him to be happy, and if that happens to be with Ladybug, so be it." Marinette whispered back, and she smirked when she heard Adrien cough, piece of paper open in front of him. She wondered what story he would make up, and she waited patiently for him to write down his reply, and he tossed the paper over his shoulder, pretending to stretch so that it didn't look suspicious. Marinette giggled and opened the paper, Alya leaning in to take a look.

 _It's not that interesting, you'd probably be bored._ After their initial disappointment, Marinette and Alya swapped matching grins, and Marinette quickly formulated a response.

 _Oh, come on! I want to know how you managed to seduce the heroine in the spots._ Alya gasped at the word choice, and as Marinette tossed the paper back, they were both snickering. They watched closely as Adrien smoothed out the paper, Nino looking in like Alya had, and heard two quiet gasps. They could see Nino holding in a laugh, and Marinette wished that she could see Adrien's reaction to her message. Unfortunately, their fun had to come to an end.

"Nino, is there something funny about what I said?" Miss Bustier asked, eyebrow raised as she regarded the DJ, and he quickly shook his head as he tried to calm down. Miss Bustier resumed her teaching, and the paper ball didn't come back, much to Marinette's amusement and slight disappointment. She was looking forward to seeing what sort of story Adrien would make up. It would just make tonight even better.

The bell rang to signal the end of school, and Adrien was out of his seat like a shot, almost running out of the room, and Marinette could see that his cheeks were flushed. Marinette couldn't help herself, and she burst into laughter, Alya joining in soon after. Nino turned around to them with an amused look on his face.

"Who wrote that message?" Nino asked, and Alya pointed at Marinette immediately, who shyly waved. "Dude, that was hilarious! You should have seen his face when he read that! He went bright red!" Cue the conversation devolving into giggling fits, even as they walked out of the school.

"I'll see you two tomorrow!" Marinette waved as she separated from Alya and Nino, and she started thinking about how she would put her plan into motion.

* * *

Ladybug knocked on the window of Adrien's room, waiting for the boy, who was currently facing his computer screen, to turn around and notice her. She saw him tense up, and giggled as he turned around slowly. She waved when he was facing her, and he got up and slowly made his way over to the window. She knocked again teasingly, and saw him flinch and hurry over. She was smirking when he finally got the window open, and she jumped into his room gracefully.

"Heard some pretty interesting news today," Ladybug said, giving him a mischievous grin that she normally reserved for Cat Noir, and was highly amused when his face turned red. "It would seem that we're dating? And it was confirmed by you today? I was unaware that saving people from being hit by an akuma's attack was what people interpreted as flirting today."

"I'm sorry for lying! I was put on the spot, and my mind went blank!" Adrien exclaimed, looking mortified, and Ladybug took pity on the poor boy.

"Alright, alright, I'll stop it now," Ladybug smirked, holding in a giggle when Adrien couldn't look her in the eye. "I suppose I could be stuck with someone worse. Dating a model isn't shabby at all for this bug." Her inner Marinette was screaming at her ability to talk to her crush like this, but her Ladybug confidence allowed her to push on.

"Huh?" Adrien managed, staring at her blankly, and Ladybug snickered at his cluelessness.

"I suppose we should talk about this, huh? You know, figure out how we're going to do this and all. We'll have to at least appear together publicly every once in a while, but not too often because the paparazzi will be annoying." Ladybug said, and she couldn't believe she was doing this, but this was Adrien Agreste, her crush for the past year, and she would take any opportunity she could get to get close to him.

"Wait. You're… serious about this? You're not mad that I lied about this?" Adrien asked, wide-eyed, and Ladybug laughed.

"We don't have to actually date, just pretend that we are, make a show out of it," Ladybug winked. "And who knows, after we get to know each other more, maybe it could become the real thing."

"Really?" Adrien breathed, looking like a kid who had been let into a candy shop, and Ladybug nodded, amused. She was caught off-guard by him throwing his arms around her, and he leaned back, a smile on his face. "I felt so bad for lying to everyone, and it feels so unbelievable that you're going along with this for some reason! I promise to be the best fake boyfriend you've ever had." Ladybug had to turn around to hide the sudden blush that overcame her, but she couldn't hide the silly giggles that escaped her.

"I'm sure you will be." Ladybug replied softly, smiling to herself. Such a weird situation that she'd gotten herself into, but she was determined to make it work.

* * *

 **You'd probably expect Marinette to be flustered by those sorts of rumours, so I thought it would be fun if she took it the other way and had fun with it. I hope you enjoyed that! :)**

 **-Green**


	24. Ultimatum

**Well, we're going on a feels trip, guys. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Ultimatum**

After checking up on Adrien after the latest akuma attack, Ladybug detransformed in a safe spot outside the mansion so that she could take a leisurely walk home. She'd told her parents that she would be out at this time, so it wouldn't be suspicious for her to walk into the house. They'd probably be a bit worried that she had walked home alone, but she knew that she could handle herself if she really needed to.

The reason that she was even checking up on Adrien in the first place is because when this latest akuma had attacked, Adrien had been in the zone, and Ladybug had managed to get him to safety before he could be hurt. With him out of the danger, Ladybug was able to fight to her fullest, and alongside her partner, who arrived shortly after, they were able to purify the akuma before any real damage could be done.

Marinette took the time that she had to walk home to think about Adrien, and she couldn't help the light blush that came to her cheeks just at the thought of him. He had been very happy to see her come to check up on him as Ladybug, and it made Marinette wonder how much time he got to hang out with his friends. Given that he was busy almost every day, she figured that he wouldn't have much, and the thought that Adrien wasn't getting time to be a teenager made her sad.

She made it home safely without incident, and she entered through the side door, greeting her parents, who were sitting in the lounge room watching TV.

"Hi sweetie, how did it go?" Sabine asked, and Marinette had to quickly remember the excuse she gave for going out, and she recalled that she said she was meeting up with Alya to talk about something.

"It went well, we've got everything sorted out!" Marinette grinned, and Sabine smiled. "I'm going to head up to my room now, so just call if you need me!" As Marinette was walking up the stairs, the phone rang, and not wanting to disturb her parents, she rushed into the kitchen and picked it up. "Hello, Tom and Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie, Marinette speaking." Marinette answered formally.

"Hello, Marinette," A voice answered, and Marinette didn't recognise the speaker. "Actually, I was hoping that I would be able to speak to you." Marinette raised an eyebrow, but she took the phone up to her room.

"Okay, but can I learn who I'm speaking with first?" Marinette asked, wondering what this person, who was obviously not a customer, wanted with her.

"Ah, how rude of me. This is Gabriel Agreste." Marinette's heart stopped, and she had to sit down on her chaise because she didn't trust herself to be standing. This was her favourite designer and Adrien's father on the phone to her! She had no idea what he wanted, and it sent shivers through her.

"M-Mr. Agreste! What can I do for you?" Marinette asked, cursing at her stutter. She hoped she wouldn't act up now. The last thing she needed was to make a fool of herself in front of her idol.

"I have a proposal that I'd like to make, and I'm sure that you'll agree it will be beneficial for the both of us." Gabriel said, and Marinette could feel her heart rate speed up. This sounded a lot like he was about to offer her something, and some stray thought had her hoping it was an internship opportunity.

"I'm listening, Mr. Agreste." Marinette spoke evenly, even though she felt like she might explode from nerves at any second. Her anxiety was rising, and his extended silence didn't help matters at all.

"Listen carefully, because this is very important," Gabriel said, and Marinette kept her mouth shut so she wouldn't accidentally interrupt him. "If you date my son, I won't reveal your most precious secret."

"What?" Marinette blurted before she could stop herself. What did he mean by that? As his words sunk in, Marinette felt a cold shiver go down her back. Her most precious secret? That was obvious, but how could Gabriel Agreste of all people know that?

"I know who you are, _Ladybug_." Gabriel answered, voice stone cold, and so was the blood in Marinette's veins. He knew! Marinette dropped the phone onto her chaise, mouth open, stunned. Tikki flew over, concerned, and Marinette covered the speaker on the phone.

"Gabriel Agreste knows that I'm Ladybug," Marinette said, starting to panic. "What am I going to do, Tikki?"

"Just calm down and keep talking to him, Marinette." Tikki gestured to the phone, and after taking a few deep breaths to take the edge off a possible anxiety attack, Marinette picked up the phone.

"You think I'm Ladybug? Why would you think that?" Marinette asked, trying to see what caused him to think that. And since there definitely wasn't a job offer involved, she wasn't particularly feeling up to formalities, idol and father of her crush or not.

"Yes, what would make me think that? Possibly my surveillance system spotting Ladybug arriving at my home and Marinette leaving it half an hour later," Gabriel's cool response came, and Marinette stiffened. She thought she had avoided the cameras! "You might as well admit it, there's no other possibility. Especially when you and Ladybug share similar appearances…" Marinette sighed. He had her well and truly beat.

"Fine, you got me," Marinette replied, and she looked at Tikki apologetically, and Tikki nuzzled against her reassuringly. "So why are you trying to blackmail me?" She could hear him laugh, which made her feel even more uneasy.

"Blackmail you? No, this is simply a business opportunity that I can't overlook," Gabriel replied coolly, and Marinette found herself bristling, and thinking that maybe her idolisation of him was misplaced. "You dating my son as Ladybug would improve my company's reputation, and you would get to keep your identity a secret. It wouldn't do to put your family and friends at risk unnecessarily, would it?"

Again, Marinette's blood ran cold. This man was a manipulative genius! It angered her, especially the way he treated Adrien like something to promote his business rather than his son, but she couldn't see anything she could do. This man had a lot of power, and she wouldn't be surprised if she rejected his offer and she could read all about herself being Ladybug in the news tomorrow. She sighed in defeat.

"Fine, I accept your offer. How are you going to talk to Adrien about it?" Marinette asked, and she felt nothing but hatred for this man. He was even ruining her opportunity to get to know Adrien personally at her own pace, and although she would normally jump at the opportunity to get close to him, this didn't sit well with her.

"I plan to inform him right now. Goodbye, Marinette." The line went dead right after, and Marinette let out a groan of frustration. This was totally messed up. The worst kind of person found out her secret identity and was using it against her for his own gain. She couldn't believe that she'd even respected him. At that moment, it all became too much for her, and she started to cry, burying her face into her chaise as she sobbed, Tikki sitting next to her concernedly.

* * *

A knock on the door startled Adrien, because he was usually left to his own devices at this time of night. He paused the video that he was watching and opened up his door to reveal Nathalie standing there, face neutral as ever.

"Your father would like to see you in his office immediately." Nathalie informed him, and Adrien raised an eyebrow.

"Thank you, Nathalie, but may I ask why?" Adrien asked, but Nathalie simply told him that it was important, and led him to his father's office. Adrien sighed, knowing he wouldn't get anything else out of her. When they reached the office, Adrien knocked, and he heard his father call out to enter. He opened the doors and saw his father sitting at his desk, inspecting some papers, and Adrien took a seat on the opposite side. "Nathalie told me that you wanted to see me?"

"Yes, I have some good news for you," Gabriel looked up, and despite what he had just said, his face was neutral. Adrien perked up. His father never had good news for him. "I've just been contacted by Ladybug, and she asked me for my permission to date you."

"What?!" Adrien exclaimed, and noticing his father's narrowed eyes, Adrien composed himself. "I mean, did she really do that?"

"Yes, Adrien. It surprised me, too, but she was genuine about it, so I accepted." Gabriel replied, and Adrien felt warm. Ladybug loved him, and wanted to be in a relationship with him enough to ask his father for permission! He wondered why she didn't say anything when she visited him earlier, but he figured that maybe she was too nervous.

"Thank you, Father! I couldn't be happier!" Adrien said, and he had to resist hugging his father as he stood up. His father even managed a small smile for a second before nodding.

"That's all, Adrien. You're free for the night." Gabriel gestured to the door, and Adrien left the office and returned to his room, wide grin on his face. This was the best way to end the day.

* * *

When Adrien and Ladybug next met, they were on a date that had been set up by Ladybug, and Adrien was excited. They were to meet in the park and then go to eat at a café, and then Adrien had to go to a photo shoot that was pushed back to make time for the date. Adrien dressed nicely for the occasion, but not formally since they weren't going anywhere fancy.

Adrien was sitting on the park bench, waiting for Ladybug to show up. He expected her to show up on her yo-yo, so he was surprised when he felt a tap on his shoulder, and looked up to see Ladybug standing in front of him, wearing a gray hoodie and blue jeans with pink flats over her suit. She smiled at him, but it didn't last very long, and Adrien was concerned. If she liked him, wouldn't she be smiling all the time?

"What's wrong, Ladybug?" Adrien asked, and Ladybug lost her composure, wrapping her arms around Adrien as she started crying. Alarmed, Adrien wrapped his arms around her shaking frame. There was definitely something wrong.

"I'm sorry, Adrien," Ladybug sobbed, and his heart sank. Was it something he did? "I told myself I'd hold it together for you, but you look so happy and I just-" Ladybug cut off as her sobs got louder. Adrien rubbed her back soothingly, not knowing what else to do.

"What do you mean, you were holding it together for me?" Adrien asked, and Ladybug pulled away to look at him, and Adrien took in her eyes, which were red from crying but also very bright because of the moisture in her eyes. Ladybug leaned in to whisper, as if someone was watching her.

"Your father is forcing me to do this, Adrien. I'm sorry," Ladybug whispered, and Adrien froze. "He found out who my real identity is, and he's blackmailing me to promote his business. I shouldn't have detransformed, I'm so stupid, I'm sorry-" Ladybug went back to sobbing, and all Adrien could feel was anger. His father was blackmailing the girl he loved for his own gain, and Adrien couldn't forgive that.

"I'm sorry, too," Adrien said, and Ladybug pulled back to look at him. "I'm sorry that I believed him. I'm so stupid! I should have known better."

"Adrien, it's fine-"

"No, it's not!" Adrien cut her off, and Ladybug was silent. "You're dating me because of my father being awful, and this shouldn't be happening. I'd understand perfectly if you hated me."

"No, Adrien!" Ladybug said quickly. "I really do like you, but it's just that the situation is wrong. We can make this work, somehow."

"Thank you, Ladybug." Adrien hugged Ladybug, and he couldn't decide whether he was trying to comfort her or himself more. They would find a way to work through this, even with his father trying to control everything.

* * *

 **Yep, Gabriel will do anything to make himself look good, even manipulate superheroes. Is there an ulterior motive...? We may never know.**

 **And yep, I had to write angst for this prompt. It was too perfect.**

 **-Green**


	25. Weakness

**Well, with the prompt given, plus the fact that I made the mistake of looking at some angsty fanart before I sat down to write this, this chapter is another angst-heavy one. I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Weakness**

Adrien stormed out of the mansion, ignoring the sound of Nathalie's heels on the tiles as she chased him. When he reached the gates, he saw that she had stopped at the top of the staircase, giving him a pleading look to come back inside. However, that was the last place that Adrien wanted to be at this moment.

"I'm sorry, Nathalie, but I don't want to be here right now. I'll be back later." Adrien yelled, and he watched as she deflated in defeat and went back inside. Adrien sighed and left the property, walking aimlessly through the streets of Paris. He got a few stares as he passed people, but he ignored them.

He couldn't believe his father. All that had happened is that he'd missed a fencing lesson because of an akuma attack, and now here his father was, threatening to pull him out of school if he didn't behave. Like he hadn't been behaving for his whole life. It made Adrien furious that his father didn't allow him even a small hint of leniency when something happened. His father was so constricting on his freedom, and he was fed up. He was glad that he was able to become Cat Noir so that he could at least roam around Paris at night, but he yearned for more.

As if the weather was reflecting his current mood, it started to rain, and it only served to make Adrien more annoyed, not having an umbrella or even a warm coat on him. He pulled up the collar on his shirt as if that would help and looked for some shelter. He found it under the tarp of a nearby café, and he took a seat in one of the chairs, watching the rain starting to get heavier. He really chose a good time to differ from his norm and go for a walk instead of holing himself up in his room.

While he waited for the rain to die down so that he wouldn't arrive home soaked, he thought about his home life. He knew it was definitely not healthy, and his father didn't treat him very well at all, but Adrien didn't know what he could do to make that change. He remembered how his mother would treat him before she disappeared, and even how his father was kinder to him when she was around.

He felt the corners of his eyes sting as he thought about happier times, and his thoughts were interrupted when his phone rang. He saw that it was Nathalie calling, and he groaned. He knew he should probably answer, but he was still upset, so he let it ring and then turned it off. He let his mind wander back to his mother. If he wanted to cry, damn it, he was going to cry.

He let his tears flow freely, and he brought his legs onto the seat so that he could wrap his arms around them and bury his head into his knees as he sobbed. He wished that his father loved him and didn't withdraw after his mother left. He missed the affection that he received from his parents, and he wished that someone could wrap their arms around him and tell him that everything would be alright, that he would make it through this.

"Adrien?" As if an angel had appeared to listen to his desires, a familiar voice cut through the gloom, and Adrien turned to see none other than Ladybug standing before him, holding a red and black spotted umbrella over her head. He wiped at his eyes, which he was sure were red and puffy, but he couldn't find it in him to care right now. Ladybug noticed the movement and the smile dropped off her face, making way for concern as she drew closer. "Are you okay?"

"No, not at all," Adrien admitted, and Ladybug took a seat next to him, closing her umbrella and putting a hand in his. "My father is threatening to pull me out of school, and I'm sick of having to give in to all his demands, even at the cost of my time."

"Adrien…" Ladybug squeezed his hand, and Adrien tried to smile at her reassuringly, but he couldn't hold it.

"I feel so useless, Ladybug. I'm supposed to be this confident, handsome model, but I can't even stand up to my father and ask for some time to be a normal teenager. So stupid." Adrien said, and the tears started up anew. Ladybug got out of her seat, pulled him out of his, and threw her arms around him, squeezing him tightly, and Adrien wrapped his own arms around her. She was warm and comforting, and he wished that she could hold him like this forever.

"Adrien, you shouldn't say things like that about yourself. You're not useless, and you're not stupid," Ladybug whispered, one of her hands moving to the back of his head and running through his hair. He leaned into the touch, craving it. "You're only human, and we can't be strong all the time. Even I have moments where I feel weak." Adrien pulled away slightly so that he could see her face, and he saw that she was wearing a sad smile, her sapphire eyes shining.

"You do?" Adrien asked, and Ladybug nodded silently.

"Yes, even Ladybug, superhero of Paris, has her low moments," Ladybug answered, holding Adrien to her again, and Adrien relaxed, letting himself give into her touch. She made him feel like nothing could hurt him. "I'm actually very different as a civilian, and I'm afraid of how people would react if they ever found out who I was behind the mask. I feel like I'd lose the people's faith, and that terrifies me. But with the mask, I'm strong and confident, what the people need from me." Ladybug pulled away and brought a hand up to Adrien's face to wipe away a stray tear. "You put on your own mask, too, but you can't expect to maintain it perfectly. So it's perfectly fine to have your weak moments, and as long as you aren't seen, nothing changes."

"Thank you, Ladybug." Adrien managed a smile, and Ladybug returns one of her own. She looked away to check on the rain, but it's still pouring down hard. She turned back to him, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"You're welcome, Adrien. Now, about this rain," Ladybug said. "My house is close to here, so I should be able to return home without getting soaked. You can take my umbrella."

"Are you sure?" Adrien asked, and Ladybug chuckled, smiling as she picked up the umbrella and handed it to him.

"I'm positive. How about this, I will personally come over when the weather gets better to collect it. Does that sound good?" Ladybug suggested, and Adrien's heart skipped a beat at the thought of Ladybug in his room.

"I'd appreciate that, Ladybug." Adrien smiled, taking the umbrella when Ladybug offered it, their hands brushing as it was transferred, and Adrien couldn't help the blush that rose to his cheeks.

"I'll see you then, Adrien. Remember that it's okay to let the mask go at times!" Ladybug said as she grabbed her yo-yo, and soon she was flying away, and Adrien watched her go. He put up the umbrella and set off for home. He knew he'd probably get yelled at the moment he was through the door, but he felt like he could handle it now, at least until he got to his room. He was grateful that Ladybug had been there for him at his lowest, and he smiled widely. His mother may not be able to wipe away his tears, but he knew that Ladybug would be there for him.

* * *

 **I am a sucker for that umbrella scene and I couldn't help myself**

 **Please review if you liked this! :)**

 **-Green**


	26. Caught in the Act

**This one's not angsty, so enjoy the break from that, haha.**

* * *

 **Caught in the Act**

Ladybug was sitting in the tree directly behind one of the benches in the park, waiting. It was a fairly inconvenient way for them to meet, but they would have relative privacy, covered by the leaves, plus many people didn't think to look up often.

Who was she waiting for? That would be Adrien Agreste, who had surprised her by asking her out one day, and she had panicked and said yes. She had wanted to keep her superhero and civilian lives separate, but Adrien had thrown a spanner in the works with his blond hair and green eyes and damn, she couldn't function properly when he was around. However, she had gotten better around him, probably because of her Ladybug confidence, and the awkward stuttering had disappeared, though it still happened as Marinette, which annoyed her to no end.

Ladybug was snapped out of her thoughts when she saw Adrien approach the tree, and he looked up at her, a smile on his face. Ladybug smiled and waved at him, and instead of making him climb the tree, she let her yo-yo down, and once he'd grabbed on, putting a foot on the end, she retracted it, and soon he was sitting in the tree with her.

"Hello, handsome." Ladybug winked, and she smirked at the blush that appeared on his face. She'd taken a page out of Cat Noir's book and assigned Adrien a nickname so that she could refer to him differently as Ladybug and Marinette. She took great joy in using it at any opportunity she could get simply because Adrien blushed every time she used it. Maybe that's why Cat Noir did it.

"Hey, Ladybug," Adrien said, scooting closer and giving her a kiss on the cheek, wearing his own smirk when he saw the blush on her face. "I missed you. I heard about your latest akuma, too, and I'm glad you handled it easily."

"Yeah, Hawk Moth's akumas are no match for me and Cat Noir!" Ladybug grinned. "But yeah, this akuma wasn't really that hard to deal with. Cat Noir didn't even have to use Cataclysm."

"I'm just glad that you're safe," Adrien said, and Ladybug felt her heart get warm. This boy was really too sweet for his own good. "If something happened to you, then I would really miss these meet ups of ours."

"Me too. It's really nice to hang out with you and be able to talk about everything." Ladybug replied, and that's when she realised how close her face was to his. Adrien closed the gap, putting his lips on hers, and Ladybug reciprocated, scooting closer and running her hands through his hair while he put his arm around her waist, the other on her cheek, thumb rubbing up and down. Just as Ladybug was about to deepen the kiss, she was distracted by the sound of a gasp, and she broke away quickly to see one of the few people that she didn't want to see at that moment.

Alya.

The blogger was holding a hand over her mouth, eyes blown wide, and the other hand was reaching into her pocket. Failing to conceal her blush, Ladybug panicked. She did not want this to get onto the Ladyblog, because if that happened, she and Adrien would have no privacy at all with their relationship. So she did the first thing she could think of in that moment.

She flung her yo-yo at Alya, wrapping the string around her, and pulled her into the tree with them, Alya letting out a yelp as her feet left the ground. Ladybug caught her easily and placed her next to her. Alya stared at her and Adrien, who looked across Ladybug and waved shyly, a very noticeable blush on his face.

"Uh, hey. Nice to see you out of school." Adrien chuckled awkwardly, and Ladybug resisted the urge to face palm. That was the best he could come up with at this time?

"This clears up so much for me." Alya said, still shocked, and Ladybug and Adrien exchanged a confused look.

"What do you mean?" Ladybug asked, and she quickly realised that she wasn't Marinette, so she should be acting more professionally.

"This explains why you keep rejecting Cat Noir's flirting!" Alya exclaimed, and while Ladybug made a gesture for her to be quieter, she couldn't help but feel guilty momentarily. She knew that a lot of people wanted her and Cat Noir to be together, but she just didn't feel that way for him. They were good partners, and she didn't want to mess that up with a relationship, especially when Adrien was around. "And it also explains why a personal project of mine isn't making any progress."

"Personal project?" Adrien asked, and Alya laughed. Ladybug had a bad feeling about this.

"Oh, it's nothing that you need to worry about, especially since you're with Ladybug!" Alya replied, and Ladybug sighed in relief. Even if she was only wearing a mask to date him, Ladybug still didn't want Adrien to know that Marinette was head over heels for him. At least, she didn't want him to know through another person. "But anyway, I would love to know how long this has been going on for! Not knowing that my favourite superhero is dating someone I know makes me feel strange." Ladybug turned to Adrien to see what he thought about that, and was met with a shrug. Ladybug gave him a flat look, and he scratched the back of his head, chuckling nervously. Ladybug turned her attention back to Alya, who was watching them expectantly.

"Okay, we can tell you a few details, but only as long as it doesn't reach the Ladyblog, alright?" Ladybug gave in, and Alya had to hold in a squeal of excitement.

"I swear it won't! But can I at least tell my best friend?" Alya asked, and Ladybug nodded, chuckling knowingly. Alya would probably explode if she had to keep it all to herself, so she knew she was going to get her ear talked off that night. At least the information wouldn't go beyond the three of them, since she is Alya's best friend.

"Okay, what do you want to know?" Ladybug asked, and the next half an hour was spent answering as many questions as Alya could think of.

* * *

Marinette walked into school the next morning feeling dead. It was a miracle that she even arrived on time, since Alya had kept her up until 4am talking about Ladybug and Adrien's relationship and what she'd learned. Fortunately, her parents had gotten her up on time and, seeing how tired she was, sent her on her way with a cup of coffee to get her going.

She was so tired that she waved at her friends as she made her way to her seat, even managing to return Adrien's greeting without stuttering. She was so jealous of the boy; he looked more perfect than usual that morning, so she knew that he got a good night's sleep. As she slid in next to Alya, she turned and saw that her best friend looked a lot better than she did and groaned, putting her head into her arms.

"Girl, you look terrible!" Alya laughed, and Marinette flailed her left arm until she was able to smack her friend's arm.

"That's because you thought it was a good idea to keep me up until 4am on the phone!" Marinette grumbled, which only prompted more laughter from Alya.

"Sounds like Alya got a scoop about Ladybug, but I didn't see anything on the Ladyblog this morning. Care to share with us?" Nino said, and Marinette was glad to hear that Alya had kept her promise and not posted anything to the Ladyblog.

"Sorry Nino, but I've been sworn to secrecy with this info by Ladybug herself." Alya replied, and Marinette was impressed by her restraint. With any other bit of Ladybug news, Alya would be telling everyone willing to listen. Alya really took Ladybug's wishes to heart, and Marinette was happy about that.

"Aww, come on! I'm curious!" Nino whined, but Alya wouldn't give in. Marinette took a peek to see what Adrien was doing, and he was watching his two friends, an amused grin on his face. He was probably relieved that Alya was keeping quiet about their relationship, too. Miss Bustier soon walked into the room to start class, and Marinette was forced to try and pay attention. She looked at her best friend out of the corner of her eye and smiled. She was really grateful to have such a great friend.

* * *

 **I like writing Alya, she's a really good character. I hope I get to write her more in the future! :)**

 **-Green**


	27. Falling

**Sorry for the lack of an update yesterday, but hey, here's the chapter now!**

* * *

 **Falling**

Ladybug swung through Paris, rushing to where she had learned that an akuma had popped up. The wind blew through her hair, her pigtails whipping around as she swung from rooftop to rooftop. She was probably being a little too reckless, but she needed to get there as soon as possible. She didn't know if Cat Noir was there yet, so she felt the urgency to stop the akuma before it did any real harm.

Her recklessness would cost her, as when she threw out her yo-yo, her momentum from the last swing caused her to miss her target, and she found herself falling from the sky. She screamed as she fell, quickly trying to retract her yo-yo as she looked around for a new target to wrap the string around to stop her fall. She quickly threw it at a traffic light, and she came to a stop mere inches from the road. She let out a sigh of relief and released her yo-yo, landing on her feet. Some civilians had stopped to watch her, and upon seeing that she was okay, had continued on their way, except for one, who was still staring at her wide-eyed.

"Uh, hey," Adrien Agreste said, awkwardly waving at the superhero, and Ladybug couldn't help but stare back. Of all the people to make a fool of herself in front of… "What's going on?"

"I was heading toward the akuma, and I guess I was swinging too fast, because I missed the roof and fell and now I'm here." Ladybug laughed awkwardly, embarrassed that Adrien had seen her falling from the sky as if she was still learning how to use her yo-yo.

"There's an akuma on the loose?" Adrien asked, and Ladybug noticed that he sounded a bit urgent. She watched as his eyes darted around as he looked for something. Maybe he was wondering how close the akuma was?

"Yeah, near the Eiffel Tower, from what I saw on the news," Ladybug replied, pointing toward the monument, which was visible in the distance. "If you stay away from that area, you'll be okay. I could take you home if you're worried?" Adrien's eyes snapped back to her when he registered her offer, and Ladybug flushed at his warm green eyes focusing on her.

"Oh, no, I'll be fine, thanks!" Adrien said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't want to hold you up from stopping the akuma, after all."

"Okay, then. I'm sure Cat Noir's already there, but I should probably get going to give him a hand. Catch you later!" Ladybug said, throwing her yo-yo at the nearest roof and swinging away. As she continued to make her way to the Eiffel Tower, Ladybug thought about Adrien. She couldn't believe that she'd almost crashed into the ground right in front of him! He didn't seem to think she was stupid or anything, at least, so maybe she didn't have to worry about him thinking of her differently. She put those thoughts aside and decided to focus on stopping the latest akuma as the Eiffel Tower got closer.

* * *

Adrien walked down the footpath, heading toward the Eiffel Tower. After the latest akuma attack, which they had mainly fought in that area, he wanted to spend some time appreciating it. Sometimes he took the tower for granted, but with akuma attacks forcing him to damage or even destroy the tower on occasion, Adrien realised how lucky he was to be able to see it every day.

He knew his father would be mad at him when he got home, since his fencing lesson had just finished and he was supposed to head straight home, but Adrien didn't care about that at the moment. He and Ladybug would commonly come here at night after a patrol to chat about things, but he wanted to see it in the day time where he could see the little things easily.

He reached the base of the Eiffel Tower and looked up, head tilting as far back as it could go to look up. He grinned. He definitely needed to climb up it to look at the view from one of the observation areas. Ignoring the people staring at him, Adrien made to move toward the tower, but found himself tripping on a rock, and he held his arms out in front of him to break his fall. However, he never touched the concrete. Instead, he found himself being caught by two strong arms wrapping around his waist from behind, stopping his fall.

Straightening in this person's embrace, Adrien turned around to see Ladybug holding him, and her eyes looked to his when he turned. He saw a slight pink to her cheeks as he watched, and by the temperature of his face, he was sure his face was redder.

"You almost fell." Ladybug said dumbly, looking at him as if he was the most important thing she'd ever seen, and her face got redder, getting closer to the colour of her mask.

"Sorry about that. I guess I wasn't paying attention to where I was going." Adrien shrugged, and the movement seemed to alert Ladybug to their current position, because she quickly let go, folding her arms behind her back. Adrien missed the warmth of her body already, and his own face flushed at the thought of Ladybug cuddling him.

"I didn't realise that when I said I'd 'catch you later' that it would be literal." Ladybug smirked, raising an eyebrow, and Adrien chuckled, running a hand through his hair.

"Well, I couldn't let you be the only one to fall today, could I?" Adrien replied with as much confidence as he could muster, and Ladybug dragged a hand down her face, groaning.

"Please don't remind me of that. It was so embarrassing!" Ladybug exclaimed, and that's when she noticed that a whole crowd of people had gathered to see the superhero and model talking. She turned back to Adrien, cheeks pink with mortification. "Hey, uh, did you want to talk somewhere more private?"

"I was actually planning to have a look at Paris from the Eiffel Tower, so how does that sound?" Adrien asked, gesturing up, and Ladybug nodded. Before anyone on the ground could say anything, Ladybug had wrapped an arm around Adrien and she had thrown her yo-yo at the Eiffel Tower, and they watched as she climbed up to the very top deck with the model in hand.

Once they'd landed securely, Ladybug let go of Adrien, who went to the edge and looked down at the crowd surrounding the tower. To his surprise, it was quite a large crowd, and they looked very small from where he was. For the fun of it, he waved, and he could see a few people that noticed the gesture wave back, and he chuckled. He was soon aware of Ladybug joining him to look down.

"Everyone looks so small from up here, don't they?" Ladybug asked, and Adrien nodded. Ladybug hummed in satisfaction. "It shows me that everyone in Paris is small, and that they all need protecting from Hawk Moth's akumas. It reminds me that I need to do my best for the people I love, because if I'm not there, who will protect them?" Adrien looked up at Ladybug, and he saw that she had a thoughtful frown on her face, and it made Adrien feel sad. She felt so much pressure to live up to her superhero name, even when she wasn't alone.

"You're not going to fail, Ladybug," Adrien said, and Ladybug looked at him. He smiled at her. "Because Hawk Moth is no match for you, and nor are any of his akumas. And even if you don't think you're enough you have m-your partner, Cat Noir to pick you up when you fall." Ladybug returned the smile, putting a hand on Adrien's shoulder.

"Thank you, Adrien. I think I needed to hear that," Ladybug said. "You're right, none of these akumas have been unstoppable, and Cat Noir has always been there when I needed him most. We're a force to be reckoned with, and we'll defeat Hawk Moth one day."

"I believe in you, Ladybug. And so does all of Paris." Adrien assured her, and Ladybug's smile widened.

"That's right, we have the people's support, and we won't let them down," Ladybug replied. A thought crossed her mind, and she raised an eyebrow at the model. "Did you have somewhere that you needed to be?" Adrien blinked at the sudden topic change, and then he laughed.

"I'm actually supposed to be at home right now, but I wanted to visit the Eiffel Tower first after the akuma attack earlier." Adrien explained.

"Did you want me to take you home, then?" Ladybug offered, but Adrien shook his head.

"No, I can walk. You probably have places to be, too, right?" Adrien asked, and Ladybug nodded.

"I suppose you're right. Well then, catch you later! And hopefully I won't actually have to catch you next time!" Ladybug winked as she left, flying through the air in the direction of the school. Maybe Ladybug lived in that area? Adrien shrugged and went to the elevator to get back to the ground. He smiled as he thought about what he and Ladybug had discussed. If ever there was a time that Ladybug fell, he would always be there to catch her.

* * *

 **Because having them literally fall in front of each other is cute, haha. Leave a review if you want!**

 **-Green**


	28. The Best Friend Knows

**Got to write Nino this time, so I hope it's still good!**

* * *

 **The Best Friend Knows**

He was so obvious about it.

After the events of the Simon Says akuma attack, Nino finally realised the reason why Adrien was always so vague when Nino asked him who he liked, or who in the class was cute, just talking about girls in general.

Adrien has a crush on Ladybug, superheroine of Paris, and he was probably too embarrassed to admit to it.

He was with Alya in that he wanted him and Marinette to get together – who in the class didn't, besides one spoiled rich girl? – but it would never happen if he didn't get over this crush on Ladybug. However, Adrien had been talking a lot about how much he admired Ladybug lately, and telling Nino about how she had helped him out with Volpina, so Nino knew that it was going to take some work before any progress could be made with Project Adrienette, as Alya liked to call it.

First of all, Nino would have to make it known to Adrien that he knew about his crush on Ladybug, and that was one conversation that Nino wasn't looking forward to. There would be some heavy denial, and it would be like pulling off a band aid inch by inch, when Nino wanted to just rip it off and get it over and done with. Then the hard part would come; trying to talk Adrien out of it. It would probably be badly received, but Nino had to let him know that celebrity crushes never ended in something good, so it would be best to let it go, even if Ladybug was prevalent in their lives and talked to them. But it had to be done if he wanted to help Alya out with her plans.

Nino decided that tomorrow would be the day that he aimed to help Adrien out with his love life. He needed to shoot for someone a little less lower than the sun.

* * *

Nino arrived at class at his normal time, around five minutes before the bell, and sat down in his regular seat. Only Alya was there, since Adrien usually cut it closer than him and Marinette was usually a little late, so he started up a conversation with her.

"Hey Alya, how's it going?" Nino asked, grinning at her.

"Not too bad, just Ladyblog things and working on Project Adrienette, along with looking after my siblings, the usual." Alya replied, and Nino was impressed. Alya sure was a hard worker.

"Any progress on Marinette's side?" Nino asked, and Alya sighed, looking to the door to make sure that she wasn't about to walk in.

"Nope. That girl, as big as her crush is, sure is terrible at doing anything about it. How about you? Find out anything about Adrien that we can use?" Alya asked, going into reporter mode, an inquisitive brow raised.

"Well… I've found out that he has a crush on someone, actually." Nino revealed, and the way Alya's eyes lit up made him regret saying anything.

"Really? Who is it?" Alya pressed, leaning closer.

"It's..." Nino stopped when he heard the classroom door open, and he was relieved when it was Adrien walking in. "I'll tell you later." Alya groaned and leaned back in her seat, and Nino turned back around just as Adrien was getting into his, offering his fist to Adrien, who returned with their morning bump.

"Hey, dude! How are you doing today?" Nino asked, and he didn't miss the small frown that crossed Adrien's face before it was replaced by a smile that Nino could tell was faked. They'd been friends long enough for Nino to tell when Adrien was putting on a façade in front of people, and it made Nino worried. Adrien talked about his problems with him, but never in great detail, and Nino hoped that he wasn't just bottling everything up.

"I'm doing fine! Just the normal eating breakfast by myself thing, you know. But it's all good, because now I'm at school, which means I'm where I want to be." Adrien looked to Nino, smiling, and Nino wished that he could help Adrien out, but he knew that it would be futile in the end, because not only would Adrien not open up about it, but even if he did, his father wouldn't do anything about it. The last time Nino tried to help, he had been akumatised, so he knew there was no use.

"Glad to hear it, bro," Nino replied, and he pushed all the other thoughts down as he thought about his plan. "So, has anyone caught your eye recently?"

"This again? Nino, we've been over this. I'm not interested in anyone right now. I'd tell you if someone caught my interest, okay?" Adrien replied defensively, and Nino could see the slight blush on his face. Oh, Adrien really had it bad.

"Sure, dude. I believe you." Nino said mockingly, and Adrien was about to retort when Miss Bustier entered the class room and started talking, which forced all other conversations to come to a halt. Adrien sent Nino a look before looking to the front, listening out for his name, and Nino could only grin. He'd reveal that he knew at lunch, and he knew that Adrien's face would be priceless. But for now, he had to focus on class. Marinette also ran in, and glanced at Adrien quickly before taking her seat. He had no idea how Adrien never took notice of Marinette's affections for him; she was as obvious as him, if not more so!

* * *

At lunch, Nino and Adrien went off to one of the benches in the courtyard to sit and have a quiet lunch. Normally they had the option of hanging out with Alya and Marinette, but Nino wanted this to be between the two of them. At least, before he let Alya know. She would pester him until he told her if he didn't as soon as possible.

They both pulled out their lunches, Nino a ham and cheese sandwich and Adrien a salad. Nino frowned as he looked at it. However, he had to focus, and he'd worry about Adrien's portion sizes another time.

"So, I know who you like." Nino said casually, and Nino watched in satisfaction as the fork Adrien was about to bring up to his mouth dropped back into the tray as Adrien whipped to face him, eyes wide.

"What are you talking about? I already told you that I don't!" Adrien protested, and Nino smirked. If Adrien was going to play it that way, Nino would just be blunt.

"I was there, you know? When you saw Ladybug that one time, right? Right next to you." Nino raised an eyebrow, and Adrien's face flushed.

"Me? Like Ladybug? Of course not!" Nino just stared at him, and eventually Adrien let out a loud sigh. "Alright, fine. I have a crush on Ladybug. There, I said it. Are you happy now?"

"Very. And now I'm here to tell you that it needs to stop," Nino said, and Adrien raised an eyebrow. "You may have a crush on Ladybug, but will anything come of it? Dude, you need to start smaller, maybe start looking at people that you see every day. Chasing after Ladybug is like trying to date the sun. She shines too bright for us."

"But Nino…" Adrien sighed. "No, you're probably right. I've got to focus on someone that I know. But definitely not Chloe." Nino laughed.

"Definitely not. I wouldn't push you toward someone like her!" Nino said, and Adrien couldn't help but chuckle, too. What Nino didn't see is that Adrien had his fingers crossed behind his back as he'd said that he would give up on Ladybug. He would never give up on his lady.

"Well, that's enough of that, now. And this time, I'll be more honest with you if I find someone I like." Adrien said, and Nino grinned.

"Sure thing, dude! I just don't want you to get hurt by Ladybug if you keep pining for her." Nino said, and Adrien nodded, looking away. Nino didn't see the frown on his face as a result. Adrien knew Nino was looking out for him, but he didn't know the full details, that he was Cat Noir and Ladybug was his partner, so there was a chance for him. But it was better left unsaid.

* * *

 **Nino, just let him chase Ladybug. It's going to happen, and you'll get what you want anywayy**

 **Remember to review if you enjoyed!**

 **-Green**


	29. Fairy Tale

**Well, I struggled a lot with this prompt, so that's why this chapter's so late. I'm still not satisfied with it, especially the beginning, but it's definitely fluffy, so I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Fairy Tale**

Marinette felt like she was living a dream, even when she was wide awake. The reason that she felt so happy was because Adrien, her own Prince Charming, was her boyfriend, and he showered her with love.

The catch was that she was Ladybug with him, but it was almost the same thing.

He made her feel so special, the way he treated her when they were on a date, how he talked to her, and even how he talked about her to Nino, Alya and herself, though he never told them that it was Ladybug that had captured his heart, and Marinette already knew, but played along. They just knew her as the mystery girl, and that's all they really needed to know, even though Alya was very suspicious that Marinette was so calm about it.

She always looked forward to their nightly dates, and during the day, they texted each other throughout the day, or at least between Adrien's extracurricular activities. The only time when Marinette's thoughts weren't on Adrien was when she was fighting akumas.

It might sound unhealthy, but Marinette had actually been improving because of it. She'd started coming to class earlier, her grades had improved because of study dates she and Adrien planned, and she'd never been happier.

"Girl, you are seriously starting to freak me out," Alya said, distracting Marinette from her thoughts. "You're about as happy as Rose is nowadays! What happened?"

"It's nothing serious, Alya. I've just decided to embrace the good things about my life, and try to get over the negatives, like Chloe," Marinette said, spinning her chair to face Alya, who was sitting on her chaise. "If I let every little thing get me down, then I might miss out on something good." Marinette turned the chair back to look at the screen of her computer, where her Adrien collage stared back at her. She sighed happily.

"Yeah, that sounds great and all, but what about Adrien? He's got his mystery girl, and that means that he's off the market." Alya said, but Marinette turned to Alya, still smiling.

"I'm happy that he's found someone that he really likes. Even if it's not me, I just want to see him happy. I hope that she treats him well." Marinette said, and thoughts of her and Adrien on their last date floated into her mind.

"Well, if you're happy, girl, then I'm happy. Now let's get something to eat! Those croissants in the display looked good!" Alya went downstairs, and Marinette quickly followed her.

* * *

Adrien sat on the couch, looking out the window for any sign of Ladybug. He was looking forward to their date tonight, especially since his father had been a little stricter than normal today.

Tonight, they were going to have a simple date, sitting at the Trocadéro and gazing at the Eiffel Tower, but even just the thought of it made Adrien's heart race. Having Ladybug as a girlfriend was better than he could have ever imagined, and she made him so happy that his home life was bearable. Being scolded by his father didn't hurt as much when he knew that Ladybug would be there at night to soothe him.

Soon enough, he could see brief flashes of red across the night sky, and his mouth turned into a smile. As she got closer, he could hear the sound of her yo-yo, and eventually she was standing on his window sill, he having left it open for her. She dropped into his room at the same time that he got up from the couch, and they met in the middle, embracing.

"How was your day?" Ladybug asked, and Adrien sighed. He broke away to look at her, and he could see the concern in her blue eyes. He had to look away before he got lost in them.

"My father was a little irritated with me today, but it's nothing unusual," Adrien smiled, but the concern lingered on her face. "Really, it was just another lecture about how I need to focus when I'm at a photo shoot, but how could he know that someone like you is who I'm thinking about?" Adrien was pleased to see the blush that spread across Ladybug's face.

"I could say the same about you. Just knowing that you're here for me is enough to make my day," It was Adrien's turn to blush this time, and Ladybug giggled. "It's starting to concern my friend, actually. She thinks that I'm too happy."

"You could never be too happy, Ladybug. You always deserve to be happy," Adrien told her, and Ladybug smiled, leaning in and kissing his cheek. "Now, how about that date? I've been looking forward to it all evening since you suggested it."

"Of course. Hold on to me tightly, Adrien." Ladybug said, and once Adrien had his arms around her, she took her yo-yo and they flew out of his room and into the night, flying over rooftops to get to their destination. In the distance, Adrien could see the glowing lights that lit up the Eiffel Tower at night, and he sighed contentedly at the sight. He couldn't wait to gaze at it with Ladybug.

Once they reached the Trocadéro, Adrien let go of Ladybug and they quickly situated themselves comfortably. Ladybug was leaning her head on his shoulder, and they both had an arm around the other, cuddling as they watched the flickering lights. After a while of sitting in silence, simply enjoying the other's presence, Ladybug spoke up.

"Have you ever been to the top of the Eiffel Tower?" Ladybug asked, and Adrien smiled. He had, plenty of times, but that was as Cat Noir, and mostly when an akuma was on the loose. Sometimes he and Ladybug would end their patrols up there as well, but he usually spent more time admiring her than looking out upon Paris.

"Actually, no. But I've always wanted to see what it was like up there." Adrien told her. What he really wanted to say was that he wanted to know what it would be like being up there with his lady as a couple instead of as partners.

"Then how about I take you up now? It would be a special way to end our night." Ladybug suggested, pulling away to look at him, and he nodded, seeing the excitement in her eyes.

"Sounds perfect." Adrien replied, and soon they were both up, and Adrien was grabbing onto her as she swung to the tower. Soon they were scaling the side, and even though the ground got further and further away, Adrien felt perfectly safe. He knew that his lady would never drop him.

They reached the top observation deck, and Ladybug let him go. Adrien took the opportunity to gaze upon Paris, and the sight took his breath away. All the city lights were on, and it made Paris look magical in the night. There weren't many cars out at this time, so the noise of the traffic was faint, but it only added to the atmosphere. This was the city that he loved and protected, and he never wanted anything bad to happen to it.

"It's beautiful, isn't it? It's a picture perfect scene, almost like something out of a fairy tale." Ladybug said, moving next to him to look out at the city as well. Adrien turned to her and took her hands, and she turned to him as well, green eyes locking onto blue.

"If this is a fairy tale, then that makes me your prince." Adrien smiled, leaning in, and Ladybug followed his lead, their lips meeting. As their kiss deepened, Adrien lost himself in the illusion that he was in a fairy tale, and everything was right in the world.

* * *

 **I can't believe that this story is almost over! I'm thinking about doing Ladynoir July as well, but I'm way behind on that now, so I'll decide once I'm done, I guess. Anyway, if I do, then look forward to that! :D**

 **-Green**


	30. Fashion Show

**This is it! The final prompt of Ladrien June! I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Fashion Show**

Marinette was touched. After she'd helped Adrien out with getting away from an akuma as Ladybug, he had wanted to repay her in some way, and she'd let slip that she wanted to be a fashion designer one day, so he'd promised to give her a ticket to the next fashion show. A few days later, he'd told her about the next fashion show and given her a ticket, as promised.

The fashion show was tonight, and she was ecstatic. She'd already put together an outfit to wear, but she was still worried that someone would recognise her because of the mask. She hoped that it would be dark enough for her to be able to remain incognito. If not, she would wear sunglasses as a last resort if she had to.

She finished up the section of homework that she was doing and looked at the time. The show started at 7:30pm, and it was 7pm. She needed to go now if she wanted to get there early enough to scope things out, so she stood up and looked at Tikki, who was munching on a cookie next to her papers on her desk.

"Time to go, Tikki!" Marinette exclaimed excitedly. Tikki giggled and flew up to her face.

"Adrien was so nice to do this for you, Marinette! I hope it's a lovely night!" Tikki smiled, and Marinette pet the kwami's head with a finger affectionately.

"Tikki, spots on!" Marinette said, and she transformed into Ladybug. She grabbed her outfit and put on everything quickly. When she was done, she was wearing a black shirt under a red hoodie that had a ladybug on the front of it, and black jeans with red flats. She was also wearing her hair in a ponytail that would be easier to wear under her hood and still be different to her normal style. The point of the ladybug hoodie was so that if someone saw the mask, they might simply think that she was an avid Ladybug fan rather than Ladybug herself if the worst outcome happened. She'd take being thought of as a weirdo than having someone make a scene and ruin the show by recognising her. She completed the ensemble with some pink gloves that she'd made herself. The hoodie was also her design.

She looked in the mirror at her outfit. She fretted momentarily that it seemed too casual for a fashion show, but she couldn't really help it. She popped a pair of simple black sunglasses into one of the hoodie's pockets and snuck out of her room through the hatch. Then she grabbed her yo-yo, which had been put in the other hoodie pocket, and swung toward the venue where the fashion show was being held.

She landed in an alley a block away from the venue and walked the remaining way, since it would be too obvious if she swung in on her yo-yo, regardless of her outfit. She popped up her hood and approached the entrance, where a bouncer was accepting tickets. She grabbed her ticket and got into the line that was fortunately not too long yet. When she made it to the front of the line, she handed over her ticket, avoiding eye contact with the bouncer nervously.

"Front row seat, huh? That's the best spot, ma'am. You're very lucky," The bouncer told her, and Ladybug sighed in relief that he hadn't recognised her. "Go right in, and enjoy the show!" She thanked him before walking in, and she took a seat in the corner of the lobby while she waited for the doors to open and let the guests take their seats. Fortunately for her, she didn't get much attention other than a few looks at her hoodie, and she suddenly wondered if she should have chosen less obvious. A few seconds later, she saw Adrien enter the lobby and start looking around. She wondered if he was looking for her, and if she should approach him.

"Adrien!" She said quietly when he got close to her, and Adrien turned to her, coming over to her with a curious look on his face. "It's me, Ladybug!" Recognition lit up his eyes, and Ladybug started to have more confidence in her outfit since Adrien wasn't able to recognise her at first. "Sorry about this outfit, but I can't have people knowing that Ladybug is attending among them, right?"

"No, it's fine!" Adrien assured her, and Ladybug took a second to admire the suit he was wearing. He looked very handsome, and she couldn't help the blush that rose to her cheeks. "The hoodie's actually pretty cute. Where did you get it?" Ladybug held in a squeal. Adrien complimented one of her designs! Ladybug was over the moon that her hard work hadn't gone to waste.

"Actually, a friend of mine made this hoodie for me, along with these gloves." Ladybug put her hands out, palms up, and Ladybug blushed as Adrien felt the material of the gloves.

"They're so soft! And they look really good. Your friend is really talented!" Adrien smiled, and her blush intensified. She feels like she might drop dead from joy if he keeps going.

"I'm sure she'd be grateful to hear that Adrien Agreste was complimenting her work." Ladybug replied, trying not to stutter, and Adrien rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"I'm not that large of a name… That's all my father. I'm not even going to be modelling in this show," Adrien admitted, which surprised Ladybug. She was sure that she'd be seeing him on the catwalk. "But I don't mind, honestly. Not only does it mean that I get a little bit of a break, but I can spend time with you and make sure that you're enjoying yourself." Ladybug couldn't help but blush and she cursed herself for being so easily flattered by him. He was just so perfect, and she only wished that he knew how she felt about him.

As Ladybug was about to say something, she heard the call for people to enter the hall and take their seats, and Adrien led her inside, where a night of fashion and glamour awaited her.

* * *

Ladybug came out of the hall at the end of the show, and she felt great. She was slightly tired because of the hour, but she was mostly in awe of all the amazing designs that she'd seen in the show. All of the Agreste pieces had impressed her, and some pieces from other labels had been wonderful as well. She didn't think there was a design that she had seen that she didn't like.

"So how was it?" Ladybug turned to see Adrien standing next to her, and she saw that he looked rather shy. She wondered why that would be; after all, he'd been right next to her and had seen her reactions to all the items.

"It was amazing!" Ladybug exclaimed, and the shy look faded off Adrien's face and made way for a smile. "Everything was so impressive, and it was inspiring!"

"I'm glad you enjoyed the show," Adrien said, and Ladybug grinned at him. "Maybe next time you could come to one that I'm modelling in." Ladybug's jaw almost dropped. That would be a treat. Her Marinette side was sure that if she ever attended a show that Adrien was in, she would dream about it for months afterward.

"You'd invite me to a show that you would be in?" Ladybug asked, mostly to see if what he was saying was real, and when Adrien nodded, her heart soared. "I would be honoured to attend."

"Then I'll make sure to get you a ticket the next time a show's on, and I'm in the line-up." Adrien smiled, and Ladybug noticed that his cheeks appeared to be slightly rosier than usual. Was he blushing? Ladybug dared to think that he was, and that made her heart soften even more for him. He wanted to impress her, and it was adorable. She wanted to hug him, but she figured that would be inappropriate for this sort of event.

"I look forward to it! But for now, I must go home. See you around?" Ladybug said, starting to walk toward the exit.

"See you around!" Adrien called, and Ladybug looked over her shoulder to see him wave at her, and she waved back before turning back around and leaving. As soon as she was flying over rooftops and away from the venue, she let out a cheer. She was absolutely thrilled at how everything had turned out, and she had a plethora of ideas that she couldn't wait to put on paper. That night, she dreamed of flashy clothes and of Adrien modelling her designs.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading my one-shots, and I hope they did Ladrien justice! :)**

 **I'm debating doing Ladynoir July, since I'm already behind by a week, so if that's something that you'd like to see from me, leave a review! Any support is very much appreciated. Thanks again for sticking with this story! :D**

 **-Green**


End file.
